For Chelsea to succeed this season, Pedro Neto will have a big role to play

It was always going to take a good sense of timing for Pedro Neto to score the first hat-trick of his senior career.

Two fine finishes in each half, plus the rarity of his corner not getting a touch from a team-mate before going in off goalkeeper Dillon Phillips, helped to ensure Chelsea beat Championship side Hull City 4-0 in the FA Cup fourth round.

This was an important night for Neto and not just because it kept Chelsea’s best chance of winning silverware this season alive. The Portugal international has come under increasing negative scrutiny from sections of the fanbase of late and, while one game will never silence all the doubters, it serves as a reminder why he should be considered the most trusted of all the wide players in the squad right now.

OK, so Neto actually achieved his personal high playing more as a No 10 than on the flanks. Head coach Liam Rosenior picked him there in the absence of Cole Palmer, who was left out of the squad as part of the club’s plan to manage his minutes while getting back to full fitness following a groin injury. But it has been rather odd that so many of Neto’s appearances of late have seen negative highlights clipped up on social media as evidence that the 25-year-old should not be involved on a regular basis or perhaps even be part of Chelsea’s future.

Neto has certainly suffered a dip in form at times this season. But you could say that about pretty much every Chelsea player — with the rigours of a long 2024-25 campaign, culminating in winning the Club World Cup in July, surely having an impact on everyone’s stamina levels.

Yet Neto has come under more criticism from supporters than most. It is not just a case of discontent being evident online. The amount of moans and groans have increased from the stands too, whenever Neto has made a mistake.

Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt. Whether it be previous head coach Enzo Maresca or current incumbent Rosenior, Neto gets picked the most out of the four main wide options available with Estevao Willian, Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens often battling it out between them for a place on the other flank.

As you can see in the table below, Neto comfortably leads the others in terms of minutes played. It is perhaps inevitable that he also boasts more goal involvements (goals and assists) as a result.

That does not mean there isn’t room for improvement, however. While Neto has taken his goals tally into double figures for the season, his last five have come against lower-league opposition in the domestic cups: Cardiff City of League One, plus Championship duo Charlton Athletic and Hull City. The first five were versus sides struggling near the bottom of the Premier League — West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and Leeds United. Since joining from Wolves for €60million (then £51.4m; $65.5m) in August 2024, his only goal against ‘major’ Premier League opposition was at home to Arsenal last term.

Neto’s end product needs working on but he still stands out from the others for different reasons. Estevao clearly has the potential to be a much better player for the long-term. However, he is just 18 and experiencing his first year in English football having joined from Palmeiras last summer. Both Maresca and Rosenior have understandably tried to protect him by limiting his workload.

Garnacho and Gittens have really struggled to win over the crowd following their moves from Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund respectively last summer. Garnacho is experiencing his worst run of performances, summed up by being taken off at half time earlier this month when West Ham were leading 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. Gittens, meanwhile, cannot yet improve on his underwhelming statistics owing to a hamstring injury.

One of the reasons Neto is more trusted is because of his ability to track back and help out defensively. It is what all managers want from their wide men but it does not get as widely appreciated by those who follow the team.

Is the negativity getting to Neto? Perhaps his actions speak louder than words. His goal celebrations often involve the sight of him putting fingers to his ears as if to silence the noise from critics. The decision to change the picture on his official Instagram account from him wearing a Chelsea shirt to a Portugal one last week prompted speculation it was a sign of his growing discontent.

(George Wood/Getty Images)

Rosenior has only been in charge for a month but appears mystified as to why anyone should have doubts over what Neto contributes to the team.

He said after the FA Cup win: “I don’t know why that (getting criticised by fans) would be the case because Pedro Neto brings us so many different qualities that you need. For me, he’s a world-class player. He’s a world-class winger and what I love about him, as talented as he is and as gifted as he is, which he showed today (against Hull), what he sacrifices for the team at times is top. He is going to be really, really important for us for where I think we can get to and what we can achieve for the rest of the season.”

With Geovany Quenda completing his move from Sporting CP in the summer, Neto will face even more competition for his place, particularly on his favoured right-hand side where Estevao also likes to play. Any such concerns he may feel about that will have to wait.

Chelsea are still competing on three fronts — trying to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League, plus Champions League and FA Cup. For them to succeed, Neto will have a big role to play.