Pedro Neto was once again named as a substitute in Chelsea’s 2-1 loss against Liverpool on Sunday.
Since joining Chelsea from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a £54m deal over the summer, Pedro Neto has only managed to make two starts in the Premier League.
That has largely been down to the form of Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho. However, after a disappointing first half against Liverpool, the latter was taken off at the break and replaced by Neto.
And the Portuguese did not disappoint when he came on. In fact, Leon Osman thought Neto was so much better than Sancho on the day.
READ MORE: What Chelsea fans were saying about Pedro Neto after his performance in Portugal’s 3-1 win against Poland
Pedro Neto of Chelsea runs with the ball under pressure from Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and …
Pedro Neto’s sparkling 45 minutes against Liverpool
While Neto was only able to play one half at Anfield and Chelsea still went on to lose the game, the 24-year-old managed to make an impact.
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard says Neto has to start after his impactful 45 minutes on Merseyside.
Chelsea fans yet to see the best of Pedro Neto
What Neto showed against Liverpool over the weekend was really only a glimpse of what the Portugal international can do.
When Neto is fit and getting a run of games, he can be a constant threat with his pace, dribbling and crossing.
As per FBref, the former Wolves star has ranked in the 96th percentile for assists and the 96th for progressive carries among attacking midfielders and wingers over the last year.
Ultimately, given his ability, Neto should see way more starting opportunities come his way as the season goes on. But with all of the quality that Maresca has in his squad, he is going to have to be patient.
