Steven Gerrard did not hold back in his praise of Estevao after Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Impressed by the Brazilian’s display, the former Liverpool captain highlighted the forward’s attacking personality and pointed to a problem Xabi Alonso will have to solve in the coming months: the competition for places in Chelsea’s attack, especially when Joao Pedro is available again.

Estevao was one of the standout performers in the London side’s Premier League victory. Handed his first Premier League start of the season, the 19-year-old stayed on the pitch until the 87th minute and left to applause from the home fans. Involved throughout, particularly in the first half, the Brazilian had six shots, three of them on target, and created three chances for team-mates.

The performance could have been even more memorable had the two goals he scored not been ruled out for offside. Even without officially hitting the net, the forward showed exactly the qualities Gerrard considers important in a front player: initiative, directness and a willingness to finish moves.

Gerrard highlights Estevao’s attacking personality and points to a battle for places

Appearing on The Overlap Daily, Gerrard showed enthusiasm for the football played by the Brazilian. The former player valued both the technical quality and the way Estevao looks to settle moves, without needlessly prolonging attacking build-up.

‘He’s really exciting. He’s great to watch. Your typical Brazilian where it’s about flair, it’s about quality, but I like that he is very direct. I like that he’s hungry to get shots off.’

The forward’s directness was one of the aspects the Englishman stressed most. Comparing Estevao’s approach with what he sees as a problem for some Liverpool players in attack, Gerrard highlighted the importance of turning chances into shots, without insisting excessively on the search for the perfect move.

‘If there is any criticism to be made of some of the Liverpool players in attack, I would say they don’t shoot enough. They are looking for that extra pass or that touch of perfection, whereas what I like about Estevao is when he comes in from the left, plays a little combination and crosses the ball.’

Gerrard also mentioned an important save by Senne Lammens, the Manchester United goalkeeper, from one of the Brazilian’s shots. For him, even in situations where he could opt for a more elaborate move, Estevao shows a constant desire to attack the opposition goal.

‘It’s a fantastic save from the United keeper, but I like the way he is hungry to get shots off. There was a chance in the first half where he could have slowed the game down and tried to pull the ball back to the edge of the box, but he wanted to have that little bit of urge to go and score a goal.’

The praise, however, came with a prediction about the competition the Brazilian will face at Chelsea. With Joao Pedro recovering from a thigh injury, Gerrard believes Alonso will have a tricky task organising the attacking options available.

‘So, he’s desperate to impress the manager, and he’s going to give Xabi a problem when Joao Pedro comes back, because Pedro Neto’s a great player as well, but five doesn’t go into that front four, so it’s going to be interesting’ - he concluded.

Estevao responds on the pitch and gets Xabi Alonso’s backing

Gerrard’s recognition comes at an important moment for Estevao.

Since Xabi Alonso took charge of Chelsea, the Brazilian has struggled to string together a run of games and accumulate minutes. His limited involvement fuelled questions about the space reserved for the forward, who arrived at the club amid high expectation after standing out in Brazilian football.

Questions about the youngster’s situation have become frequent in the Spanish manager’s interviews, especially given the gap between the potential the player has shown and the opportunities he has actually been given. Estevao himself, while away with Brazil, was asked about his limited minutes but avoided any public confrontation and said he was focused on earning his place.

The numbers help to gauge the change brought by the Manchester United game. Before the match, Estevao had played six Premier League games, totalling just 47 minutes. In the EFL Cup, he had started twice, with 125 minutes on the pitch. In midweek, however, he did not even leave the bench in Chelsea’s elimination by Liverpool. At Stamford Bridge, he was given 87 minutes to show his football.

Alonso had previously signalled that the intensity and physical demands of the Premier League could be obstacles to the Brazilian’s adaptation. After the win over United, however, the manager made a point of praising the forward’s response, with the player having been told in advance that he would start the game.

‘We spoke after Tottenham and he knew he was going to be playing today. He had the best response and showed that he deserves more and that he was prepared. That is exactly what you expect from a player, so I am very happy for him. He deserved to enjoy the game. He had a good connection with the crowd and was really close to scoring his goal. He fought really hard and at the end he was tired, but it has been a good day for him’ - Alonso said.