Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves had special praise for Pedro Neto following Chelsea’s 2-0 Premier League win over Everton at Goodison Park.
The Portuguese winger turned in a match-winning performance on Merseyside, scoring twice to end Everton’s unbeaten start to the season and secure another crucial three points for Xabi Alonso’s side.
Neto opened the score a few seconds after the restart of the second half and beat the opponent in the 90th minute.
His performance caught the eye of Hargreaves, who believes the 26-year-old deserves more recognition for his contributions to Chelsea.
Owen Hargreaves has called Pedro Neto Chelsea’s “unsung hero”.
Speaking as analyst on TNT Sports after Chelsea’s hard-fought win on Merseyside, Hargreaves praised the Portuguese winger for stepping up when his team needed individual quality:
“The big moments belong to Pedro Neto,” Hargreaves said during the post-match broadcast (via BBC Sport Live ).
“He is definitely an unsung hero in this Chelsea team.”
Pedro Neto scores twice as Chelsea end Everton’s unbeaten run
Chelsea face a tough challenge against an Everton side who are still unbeaten in the Premier League this season.
David Moyes’ team defended tenaciously during the opening 45 minutes, frustrating the guests and limiting their attacking opportunities.
The Blues came closest to pulling off the spoils when Moises Caicedo hit the crossbar with a superb volley from Jordan Henderson’s corner.
However, despite enjoying possession, Chelsea went into half-time tied at 0-0.
After restarting it changed almost immediately.
Neto struck in the 46th minute to complete a well-worked attacking move to give Chelsea the breakthrough they were looking for.
The goal forced Everton to take a more adventurous approach as they tried to find an equaliser.
However, Chelsea remained organized and resisted the hosts’ attempts to get back into the contest.
Neto capitalized on the space available and scored his second goal in the 90th minute as Everton went ahead late in the match.
The Portuguese winger’s brace secured a 2-0 win and ended Everton’s unbeaten run in the Premier League.