Tim Sherwood questioned Pedro Neto’s celebration after his goal against Southampton and said the Chelsea player should expect criticism given his side’s recent form.
Enzo Maresca’s side weclomed Southampton to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night looking to end their disappointing three-match losing run in all competitions.
And against the Premier League’s bottom-of-the-table side, the Blues eventually ran out comfortable 4-0 winners to temporarily move back inside the top four.
With injuries to Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu limiting Maresca’s options at striker, Neto started his second successive game in a more central position.
And the Portuguese international impressed again, smashing home Chelsea’s second for his third league goal of the season before delivering the cross for Levi Colwill’s headed goal on the stroke of half-time.
As he wheeled away in celebration after his goal, Neto made a ‘talking’ gesture with his hand potentially in response to the criticism that has been levelled against his side following their run of poor form.
But Sherwood, while impressed with Neto’s overall performance, was somewhat bemused by the 24-year-old’s choice of celebration and said Chelsea should expect criticism given their recent displays.
‘I like Neto but I don’t know what the celebration was all about,’ the former Tottenham manager told Premier League Productions at full-time.
‘A few of the Chelsea players did that. It feels like they’re listening to the noise but they’ve just got to blank out the noise and win.
‘People are obviously going to have things to say, you’re playing for Chelsea Football Club.
‘It’s a team that normally wins and you’ve spent a few billion pound so people expect you to be at the top of the league. Just get on with it.’
Asked about Neto’s overall performance, Sherwood was more complimentary, adding: ‘He’s very direct. I think he’s had a decent season, I really do.
‘Recently he’s been stepping up. I think he’s a real threat, he could play for most teams, I really think he’s a talent.
‘When he’s going through [for his goal], he changes his angle nicely and when he’s played through you know he’s going to put his foot through it. [It’s a] powerful shot past (Aaron) Ramsdale and that was 2-0 and from there on, the game was finished.’
Having been knocked out of the FA Cup, Chelsea face a weekend off before returning midweek for their Conference League last-16 first leg against Copenhagen.
The Blues are heavy favourites to lift the title, but Sherwood was adamant that their full focus should instead be on ensuring a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League.
‘There will be no rotation in the Conference League now because that competition has stepped up now it’s the knockouts,’ he added.
‘You expect them to beat Copenhagen but there’s no rotation now. If they don’t win that it’s a disaster. I think they should go for it but the priority has to be getting back in the top four.’
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