Former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville criticised the performance of Chelsea winger Pedro Neto in the 1-1 Premier League draw at Manchester City on Sunday (January 4).
Neto, 22, failed to make an impact as the Blues laboured to a hard-earned point at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola's side dominated possession (58%) and led at half-time, thanks to Tijjani Reijnder's opener.
However, the visitors equalised in the 94th minute through Enzo Fernandez to avoid defeat, now going four league games without a win, losing one, with Neville being critical of Neto's performance.
"Pedro Neto, you said at the end that he was getting further into the match, and he was bright," Neville said on Sky Sports (as per GOAL).
"But he bloody frustrated me like you won’t believe. He’s a smidgen away from being an Eden Hazard, but he’s never going to be an Eden Hazard because he hasn’t got that killer instinct. Hazard had that beautiful glide about him, but he was also a killer, and you’ve got to be a killer in those situations, and Neto isn’t that."
Offering his thoughts on the game, the United legend said that the Blues bagged an well-deserved equaliser:
“It was really frustrating in the second half, but Chelsea got the equaliser late on. Man City got what they deserved in the end for not killing the game off. Chelsea deserved a point, in a way, because of how they reacted, but they should have been killed off. The Man City players will need picking up because that was a bad one."
The Blues are fifth in the standings after 20 games, winning eight, ahead of Manchester United on goal difference.
"We showed a lot of character and resilience" - Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane on Man City stalemate
Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane
Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane
Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane praised his team's performance after the break in the Premier League draw at Manchester City and that the draw was a well-earned result.
Days after a 2-2 home draw with AFC Bournemouth - leading to the ouster of boss Enzo Maresca - McFarlane led the team to a last-gasp draw at the home of Pep Guardiola's City.
"We were exceptional in the second half," McFarlane told BBC Match of the Day. "First half didn't go as we planned. That happens when you play against that level of opposition. They shaped up slightly differently, and we were pinned back and didn't have control.
"We showed a lot of character and resilience. The lads took the information on board at half time. We changed the shape. We changed the press. It allowed us to get a good foothold in the game. We deserved a minimum of one point."
The Blues return to league action with a trip to cross-town rivals Fulham on Wednesday (January 7) before travelling to Championship side Charlton Athletic three days later for their FA Cup opener.