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Costly Enzo Maresca Chelsea selection backfires vs Liverpool and one player showed why

Enzo Maresca
-Credit: (Image: Paul Ellis/AFP)


In the early days of his Chelsea tenure, there are not many decisions you can say Enzo Maresca has got wrong.

However, there was one that comes straight to mind following the Blues' narrow 2-1 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday afternoon. Pedro Neto should have been on the pitch from the start of the game. And that is, of course, much easier to say with the benefit of hindsight.

The Reds just edged the west Londoners at Anfield to move back to the summit of the Premier League but it was not easy-going for Arne Slot's team. Chelsea battled and threatened on Merseyside but could not find that all important second goal - the one that would have earned them a point.

The Blues piled the pressure on the hosts late on and most of that was down to the great work of Neto. The Portugal international, who came on at half-time in place of Jadon Sancho, created more chances against Liverpool, with three, than any other player on the pitch.

Frank Lampard, when speaking to Premier League TV, was really impressed with what he saw from Neto: "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."

While Sancho caused Trent Alexander-Arnold a couple of problems, Neto really brought the game to the England right-back. So much so that Slot decided to take his vice-captain off in the second-half in place of a more defensively solid option in Joe Gomez.

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Neto was constantly running at Alexander-Arnold; surely an instruction from Maresca at half-time. And then later in the second-half, when Christopher Nkunku entered the pitch, Neto switched sides and caused problems for Andy Robertson. He can count himself seriously unfortunate that he did not have at least one assist in his 45-minute cameo.

The former Wolves winger has started just two Premier League games for Chelsea since moving from Molineux in the summer transfer window. The 24-year-old's last start came against Bournemouth last month, where he was replaced at half-time by Sancho, who made his debut for the club that evening.

Since then, it has been Sancho preferred to Neto in the Premier League. However, Neto certainly did not do his case any harm on Sunday afternoon ahead of a really busy schedule for the Blues.

Chelsea travel to the Greek capital Athens this week to take on Panathinaikos in the Conference League, just three days before the Blues welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. The west Londoners then make the long trip to Newcastle just a few days later to face the Magpies once again but this time in the Carabao Cup round of 16.

It is then a trip to Manchester United for the Blues the following weekend before back-to-back home games against Noah and Arsenal in the Conference League and Premier League, respectively. Neto has sent Maresca - if at all needed - a reminder of what he can offer but one thing is for sure: with this hectic schedule, both he and Sancho will get plenty of minutes.

Or, alternatively, Neto could come in on the right wing for Noni Madueke. Maresca has admitted before that he sees Neto as more of a right winger - hence the reason he swapped him later in the second-half at Anfield.