The Premier League clash between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening was hardly a spectacle, but that won’t bother Enzo Maresca’s men one bit. The Blues battled to a gritty 1-0 victory that temporarily lifted them into the top four.
Joao Pedro emerged as the match-winner, silencing his critics with a powerful first-half strike that beat Guglielmo Vicario. The Brazilian’s goal ended a ten-game drought and marked an important moment in his return to form.
Pedro’s road to redemption
After a promising pre-season, during which he shone in the Club World Cup and looked every bit worth his £60 million transfer fee, Pedro’s Premier League campaign had been underwhelming. With just three goals in his first ten appearances, he was under pressure to deliver. But against Spurs, he seized his chance, firing home after excellent work from Moises Caicedo. Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Pedro admitted he “really needed this goal” to regain confidence and momentum.
Chelsea will be hoping his resurgence continues as they aim to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal ahead of another London derby later this month.
Pressure mounting on another Chelsea attacker
While Pedro strengthened his case for a regular starting spot, another of Chelsea’s forwards may now be feeling the heat. Despite the club’s investment in fresh attacking talent, Maresca has also shown faith in the youth academy — with Marc Guiu and Estevão recently finding the net against Ajax.
Guiu’s opportunities might now be limited following Pedro’s upturn, but it’s Estevão who will feel most justified in pushing for more minutes after Pedro Neto’s lacklustre display against Spurs.
Neto’s struggles in numbers
Stat | Neto
Minutes played:85
Goals:0
Assists:0
Touches:45
Shots:3
Accurate passes:20/25 (81%)
Crosses:1/3
Successful dribbles:1/6
Possession lost:18 times
Duels won:2/11
(Stats via Sofascore)
Neto’s disappointing outing saw him replaced late on by the rejuvenated Pedro. The £54 million signing from Wolves struggled to make an impact — losing possession 18 times and completing only one successful dribble from six attempts. Even goalkeeper Robert Sánchez recorded more touches (51) than Neto, underscoring how little influence the winger had.
Although Chelsea escaped with all three points, Maresca will surely consider giving Estevão more opportunities, given the teenager’s three goals and one assist already this season. Neto, meanwhile, has managed just two league goals and could soon find his starting place in serious jeopardy — despite Daniel Sturridge’s claim that Chelsea were “absolutely brilliant” overall in their win at Spurs.
Post a Comment