Andrey Santos will be looking forward to Chelsea’s clash against Burnley this weekend.
The last time these two sides faced each other, Santos put in a man-of-the-match performance. It is still arguably his best display in a blue shirt.
Under Liam Rosenior, Santos has impressed and been an important player for his manager, whom he also worked with at Strasbourg.
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However, the midfielder was on another level that day at Turf Moor as Chelsea ran out 2-0 victors.
Andrey Santos of Chelsea looks on
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Andrey Santos put in a defensive masterclass against Burnley
Santos had a monumental task during the Burnley game: replacing Moises Caicedo. On the afternoon, Enzo Maresca left the Ecuadorian on the bench, allowing him to rest.
It presented Santos with a rare opportunity, one that the 21-year-old grasped with both hands. Defensively, he did little wrong at Turf Moor.
In total, Santos made 13 defensive actions, which was the most in the game, according to Sofascore.
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What a performance from the Brazilian!
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Breaking that number down, the Brazilian made two successful tackles, five interceptions and four clearances. He also blocked one shot, taking his tally of defensive contributions to 13.
At Stamford Bridge, Santos may not be as busy. Chelsea are likely to dominate in midfield, but if the former Strasbourg loanee is called upon, he has already shown that he is more than capable of getting the job done.
Andrey Santos of Chelsea blocks the attempt of Jaidon Anthony of Burnley
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Why Liam Rosenior may actually consider dropping Andrey Santos for Burnley visit
Santos is one of the most in-form players at Chelsea at the moment and is loved by Rosenior.
“Andrey, for me, is a magnificent player,” Rosenior said via Chelsea’s official club website earlier this month.
Even so, it would not be the biggest surprise if the Brazil international was actually left out of the starting XI this Saturday.
Again, you suspect that this is going to be an encounter that Chelsea control, while Burnley sit in a low block. With that in mind, Rosenior may be tempted to go with a midfield duo of Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez while using four natural attackers ahead of them.
Cole Palmer has an excellent record against Burnley and should be one of them, but doing the above would leave no room for Santos in the side.
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