Frank Lampard believes Pedro Neto deserves to start Chelsea’s next Premier League match after his impressive display in the loss to Liverpool.
Chelsea suffered their second defeat of the season, falling 2-1 at Anfield. Defensive errors cost Maresca’s side, but there were some bright spots, including Reece James and Romeo Lavia completing 53 minutes without issues.
Lampard specifically pointed out Neto’s impact after coming off the bench in the second half, replacing Jadon Sancho. The 24-year-old winger offered a much more direct approach, attacking the full-back with confidence and posing a threat after moving to the left following Christopher Nkunku’s substitution.
Having joined Chelsea for £51.4m from Wolves in the summer, Neto’s start at the club has been slow, but Lampard sees his latest performance as a turning point. “Pedro Neto came on and added a lot. He has probably pushed himself into a big chance of starting the next game. I think he should,” Lampard shared with the Premier League’s official website.
Chelsea’s upcoming fixture is against Panathinaikos in the Conference League on Thursday, where Neto is expected to start. This game provides another opportunity for the Portuguese winger to prove he should be a regular in the Premier League lineup, having started just twice in the league so far. A strong showing could give Maresca something to seriously think about moving forward.
