“Call him whatever” – Alonso rejects Neto thesis after two goal performance

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso praised Pedro Neto after the Portuguese forward scored two goals against Everton, dismissing labels about his exact tactical position. Responding to suggestions that a switch to wing-back explains Neto's strong form, Alonso stated that the player can be called whatever because he possesses the versatility to excel across multiple attacking and defending responsibilities.

Alonso highlighted Neto's competitive edge, running ability, and 1v1 threat against opposing full-backs. The manager noted that Neto connected effectively with teammates Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, and Josh Acheampong, while writer Will Faulks argues that Neto's revised attacking role is working wonders for him.