Jamie Carragher discussed Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football and believes there’s one thing the Portugal international has over his team-mate.
Sancho started as the Blues slipped to a 2-1 defeat at Anfield on Sunday, their second of the season but struggled to make an impact in the first half.
Enzo Maresca sent on Neto in place of the England international at the break and he had much more of an impact on proceedings.
Carragher details what Neto has over Sancho
Neto certainly caused the Liverpool defence more issues than Sancho and was more direct in his play, with his pace a weapon for the Blues.
Whilst the 24-year-old ultimately wasn’t able to impact the result he certainly sent a message to Maresca and club legend Frank Lampard thinks he should start Chelsea’s next Premier League game.
Speaking on Sky Sports Monday Night Football Carragher was analysing Neto’s role in Liverpool’s winning goal but also spoke on why Maresca turned to him to replace Sancho.
“At half-time, Neto comes on for Sancho because, for me, I don’t think Sancho has really got the pace really to go at a full-back. Neto’s got it,” he told Sky Sports.
Neto arrived from Wolves in the summer for £51.4m but has only started two Premier League games and was substituted at half time in one of those against Bournemouth.
The winger’s performance at Anfield was arguably his best for Chelsea and you couldn’t argue against him starting against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Neto is versatile and can operate down both flanks so if he did start it’s not a given that it would be Sancho dropping out and Maresca recently explained what he wanted to see from the Englishman.
The Portuguese is likely to find himself in the starting line-up against Panathinaikos in the Conference League on Thursday night and will be looking to send another message to his manager.
