Pedro Neto celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Burnley.placeholder image
Pedro Neto celebrates scoring for Chelsea against Burnley. | Getty Images
Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has earned a reputation for his relentless workrate under Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea recorded a seventh win of the Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Burnley following the international break thanks to goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.
It was the perfect result ahead of a busy week, which continues with a Champions League clash against FC Barcelona and then a top flight meeting with league leaders Arsenal next weekend. Enzo Maresca will need his players to keep their performance standards high and one star who never falters is Neto.
The former Wolves man was in the right place at the right time to get his head on a brilliant Jamie Gittens cross on Saturday to start the scoring. That was Neto’s fourth league goal of the season in what has been a very strong campaign so far.
Pedro Neto impresses against Burnley
Neto was rated an 8/10 for his performance by Goal. The outlet wrote: “Electric once again, the winger almost teed up Gittens with a teasing cross before meeting his team-mate's ball in with a super header. The former Wolves ace almost got a second after the break but his effort hit the post.”
It’s so often the player’s Chelsea teammates who make the headlines given the status of Cole Palmer or the huge transfer fees commanded by the likes of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. Neto flies somewhat under the radar but could be on his way to becoming a Chelsea hero.
It feels apt to compare the Portugal international to Chelsea legend Willian. Both wingers, the two players are both known for their nifty dribbling and superb work rate.
Could Chelsea winger follow in footsteps of Willian?
Speaking about Willian following a contract extension in 2020, former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard said: “I place huge value on training and how players behave and work in training in the week. I knew Willian had it as a player because I played with him, and we have all seen it on the pitch this year - his work ethic off the ball and his creation and work on the ball. We saw it against Aston Villa as well.
“Generally as far as I see it, Chelsea fans hold him in a real high regard. It is difficult in the modern day to take a view on what social media says all over the world. People who are in the club know the value of him and no matter what happens at the end of the season, he has been a fantastic servant for the club.’”
Neto commands a similar respect from Maresca, who has regularly spoken about the passion he brings to his work. Just last month, Maresca said: “He’s top, he's very humble and working hard.
“He's a very important player for us, and we are very happy with Pedro. He's exactly the same as other players – he needs to be always 100 per cent, because in the moment that you drop a little bit, mentally or physically, in this league, it's complicated.”
Both Willian and Neto share a reputation as being somewhat underrated for what they bring to the team. Speaking about the Brazilian in January, former Fulham teammate Tom Cairney said:''Willian, it’s not even close. I think football brain, out of this world. In my opinion, I don’t think he gets the recognition he deserves in the Premier League.
“I think he was one of the best players in the Premier League for four or five years, but because he played in the same team as Eden Hazard, who kind of took a lot of the limelight, and rightly so, he was the best player, but I thought Willian was special, very special."
As the fixtures keep coming fast for Chelsea and Neto keeps on working his socks off, we could be seeing a big legacy in the making.
In other news, Chelsea lucky as Peter Bankes misinterprets Law 16 in controversial Burnley incident - opinion.
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