‘Unsung hero’: Pundit singles out Chelsea star for praise after Everton victory
Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has singled out Pedro Neto for special praise following Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton at Goodison Park.
The Portuguese winger produced a match-winning performance on Merseyside, scoring twice to end Everton’s unbeaten start to the season and secure another important three points for Xabi Alonso’s side.
Neto opened the scoring just seconds after the second-half restart before adding another goal in the 90th minute to put the contest beyond the hosts.
His performance caught the attention of Hargreaves, who believes the 26-year-old deserves greater recognition for his contributions to Chelsea.
Owen Hargreaves calls Pedro Neto Chelsea’s ‘unsung hero’
Speaking as a analyst on TNT Sports following Chelsea’s hard-fought victory on Merseyside, Hargreaves praised the Portuguese winger for stepped up when his team needed individual quality:
“The big moments have belonged to Pedro Neto,” Hargreaves noted during the post-match coverage (via BBC Sport Live).
“He’s definitely an unsung hero in this Chelsea team.”
Pedro Neto scores twice as Chelsea end Everton’s unbeaten run
(Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
Chelsea faced a difficult challenge against an Everton side that had yet to suffer a Premier League defeat this season.
David Moyes’ team defended resolutely throughout the opening 45 minutes, frustrating the visitors and limiting their attacking opportunities.
The Blues came closest to breaking the deadlock when Moises Caicedo struck the crossbar with a spectacular volley from Jordan Henderson’s corner.
However, despite enjoying spells of possession, Chelsea went into half-time with the scoreline still 0-0.
That changed almost immediately after the restart.
Neto struck in the 46th minute, finishing a well-worked attacking move to give Chelsea the breakthrough they had been searching for.
The goal forced Everton to adopt a more adventurous approach as they attempted to find an equaliser.
However, Chelsea remained organised and resisted the hosts’ attempts to get back into the contest.
With Everton pushing forward late in the match, Neto capitalised on the space available and scored his second goal in the 90th minute.
The Portuguese winger’s brace secured a 2-0 victory and brought Everton’s unbeaten Premier League run to an end.
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