Chelsea needs a victory in their last Club World Cup group stage match against ES Tunis to advance to the knockout stage.
After an initial comfortable 2-0 victory against LAFC, Enzo Maresca`s team conceded three goals in the last half hour, resulting in a 3-1 defeat.
Substitute Nicolas Jackson, who replaced Liam Delap in the second half, received a red card just four minutes after coming on due to a dangerous tackle on Ayrton Lucas.
With the Senegalese player suspended, Delap is expected to start as the main striker against the African opponents on Wednesday, a role he has performed capably.
The young player provided an assist on his debut for the Blues and proved a difficult opponent for Flamengo before being substituted.
Should he sustain this level of performance, Maresca might find he has secured a valuable asset, as the young Englishman is only expected to improve.
Pedro Neto is another player who has performed well in the Club World Cup. His first season at Stamford Bridge was decent, but this tournament could be his chance to establish himself as a crucial player for Maresca next season.
Pedro Neto`s Club World Cup statistics
The Portuguese winger started the opening group game against LAFC and certainly made an impact.
Neto opened the scoring against the MLS team with a clinical finish, latching onto a through ball.
He also boasted a 92% pass completion rate, delivered four key passes, completed five out of seven dribbles, and created a clear scoring opportunity.
He was arguably Chelsea`s top performer in that game and maintained his good form in the subsequent match, despite Chelsea`s loss.
Against Flamengo, the former Wolves winger again scored first for Chelsea, exploiting defensive errors to break away and net his second goal of the competition.
| Pedro Neto`s Club World Cup stats | |
|---|---|
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Big chances created | 2 |
| Key passes per game | 2.5 |
| Successful dribbles per game | 4 |
| Total duels won per game | 6.5 |
In the second game, besides his goal, he also created a big chance, made one key pass, and attempted seven dribbles.
These performances indicate that Neto has been Chelsea`s most potent attacking threat in the tournament so far, and Maresca will rely on him to replicate this form against ES Tunis.
Success in that match would see Chelsea comfortably reach the last 16. Despite Neto`s bright performances, the manager is still looking to strengthen the team`s wing options in the transfer market.
In fact, reports link Chelsea to a player who could be an even more exciting prospect than Neto.
Chelsea`s search for a new winger
The club`s desire to sign one or two more wingers this summer is well-known, with players like Mohammed Kudus, Tyler Dibling, and Malick Fofana recently linked to the Blues.
While Kudus would be a strong acquisition and Dibling and Fofana promising talents for the future, Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is reportedly the winger Maresca is most eager to sign this summer.
Chelsea`s initial offer of around £42m was rejected by Borussia Dortmund several weeks ago, as the German club is seeking a significantly higher transfer fee.
Although Chelsea appeared to be leading the pursuit for the talented English player, a major European club now seems ready to challenge them.
According to the German publication Kicker, Bayern Munich has entered the race for Bynoe-Gittens and is reportedly in discussions with the young Dortmund star.
