“He absolutely has to start in this match if you get back to winning; with a brilliant performance like that, it would be absurd not to have him in the lineup,” Frank Lampard insists that Enzo Maresca must feature the “brilliant” Chelsea player in the starting XI for their crucial Premier League clash against Fulham.
Chelsea will look to recover from their recent defeat as they host local rivals Fulham at Stamford Bridge in an eagerly anticipated Premier League matchup this afternoon.
The Blues, who had been enjoying an outstanding run of eight consecutive victories across all competitions under head coach Enzo Maresca, saw their momentum disrupted in their last outing against Everton.
Maresca faced a number of selection challenges at Goodison Park, leading to an improvised defensive lineup. Malo Gusto, traditionally a right-back, was positioned on the left, while Axel Disasi was tasked with covering the right flank.
A familiar issue for Maresca has been managing Chelsea’s wide players, and in the match against Everton, he opted to bench Noni Madueke in favor of Pedro Neto and Jadon Sancho. Neto, who had just returned from suspension following yellow card accumulation, made a significant impact. His tireless defensive work helped protect Disasi from the dangerous Iliman Ndiaye. The performance earned Neto high praise, with Jason Cundy describing his display as “brilliant.”
Looking ahead to today’s clash, Fulham’s key threat is expected to come from their dynamic left-back, Antonee Robinson. The American international has been in fine form this season, registering six assists and creating 20 chances in the Premier League. In addition to his creativity, Robinson’s pace is a major asset, with the defender clocking a top speed of 35.1 kph, making him one of the league’s quickest players.
Chelsea’s own Pedro Neto slightly edges Robinson in terms of speed, having reached an impressive 35.4 kph, the fastest among Chelsea players. This puts Neto ahead of Mykhailo Mudryk and other league stars, including Gabriel Martinelli and Erling Haaland, in the sprint stakes.
However, not all Chelsea players match this pace. Noni Madueke, for example, has recorded a top speed of just 28.7 kph, which could make it challenging for him to track Robinson on Fulham’s counterattacks. Despite Madueke’s contributions in attack—five goals and three assists in the league—his limited speed may explain why Maresca has opted for other options.
This afternoon, Pedro Neto’s role will likely be critical as Chelsea seek to balance defensive solidity with attacking potency against a competitive Fulham side. Maresca will need to deploy his resources wisely to ensure the Blues can both neutralize Fulham’s key threats and exploit opportunities to secure a much-needed victory.
