Estevao was the overwhelming winner of our post-match poll, picking up 81 per cent of the vote.

Breadth of skills on show

Of course, the 18-year-old’s standout contribution was his solo effort that broke the deadlock in south London.

Up until that point, it had been an even contest: possession was split exactly 50-50, both teams had registered four shots, and Palace had completed precisely two more passes than us.

However, Estevao sprang into action to ensure their next did not reach its intended target. As Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez teamed up to hassle Palace’s Jaydee Canvot, Tyrick Mitchell was goal side of Estevao.

However, our No.41 anticipated the situation brilliantly, sensing Canvot was in a sticky situation and had limited passing options.

Estevao muscled his way past Mitchell at the exact moment Canvot kicked the ball, giving him a yard head start on the Eagles’ left wing-back.

There was still so much to do, though. Estevao had plenty of green space ahead of him and Mitchell breathing down his neck.

Estevao’s close control and speed ensured the defender couldn’t get a tackle in, knowing he would risk committing a foul and being sent off as the last man. So he just kept pressuring Estevao hoping his touch would let him down, or Dean Henderson would save his effort.

That did not happen, as Estevao worked the angle on his left before thumping a shot past Palace’s keeper before he could react.

It was Estevao’s sixth goal for us since arriving in the summer, the joint-most of any Blue aged 18 or under to have featured in the Premier League era. One more goal before 24 April will take him clear of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Marc Guiu.

It was also Estevao’s first league goal for us in a match he started, and it triggered a period of Chelsea dominance either side of half-time that took the game away from Palace.

Sharpshooter

Estevao came close to adding a second before the break with a fierce right-footed drive that whistled past Henderson’s post. He finished with a game-high four shots, of which two were on target. The other, from distance, forced Henderson into a diving one-handed save early in the second period.

Estevao’s seven touches in the opposition box was a game-high figure, as were his 12 passes in the final third. He also attempted five dribbles, more than anyone else, as he sought to put the Palace defence on the back foot.

Five minutes into the second period, Estevao added an assist to his goal. Receiving Joao Pedro’s pass square on, just inside the Palace half, he had the vision to see where the space was and the ability to execute a perfect through ball.

The weight of it, alongside the spin on the ball, made Henderson uncertain whether to come out and try and clear it.

In the end, he retreated, and when Joao Pedro cut inside Wharton and shot goalwards, perhaps the keeper’s positioning was affected by the initial indecision Estevao’s clever pass created. It was his third assist of the campaign.

Estevao had a hand in our third goal, too, playing in the overlapping Reece James for the cross that eventually led to Joao Pedro having a shot blocked by Canvot’s hand, and a penalty awarded that Enzo Fernandez converted.

When Estevao was replaced with a quarter-of-an-hour to go, he walked off in front of the Chelsea supporters who had been singing his name all afternoon and could serenade him at close quarters.

It was a fitting ending to another exciting display from our talented youngster with ‘special abilities’, as his head coach Liam Rosenior put it afterwards.