Pedro Neto's Arsenal Red Card Could Sideline Chelsea Star for Weeks
Pedro Neto's dismissal certainly didn't help Chelsea's situation against Arsenal on Sunday, and the Portuguese player's response to receiving two yellow cards may return to trouble him—the FA has announced charges for allegedly "behaving inappropriately" toward referee Darren England.
Neto's reckless, counter-attacking tackle on Gabriel Martinelli definitely deserved a booking, but the 25-year-old had harsh words for the official before exiting the field after being booked moments earlier for displaying dissent.
Obviously comfortable with speaking out inappropriately, Neto continued to criticize England for what one can only presume was his decision to show the initial yellow card. He didn't cease even after eventually walking around the Emirates Stadium pitch perimeter, engaging in a pointless verbal exchange with fourth official Stuart Attwell before being escorted down the tunnel by Chelsea's coaching staff members.
Unsurprisingly, the FA has taken exception to Neto for "failing to exit the field immediately and/or using offensive language toward the match officials."
What Punishment Could Neto Receive?
What Punishment Could Neto Receive?
Receiving a red card for two yellow cards triggers an automatic one-game suspension—something Neto has already completed after missing Wednesday's evening match against Champions League qualification competitors Aston Villa.
Fortunately, the Blues didn't feel the absence of the exciting right winger, considered by many as one of the world's finest in his role, as they demolished Villa 4–1 at their home ground, thanks to a hat-trick from the continuously developing João Pedro.
The FA's charges, however, might extend Neto's suspension by at least one additional match, assuming he's convicted of the alleged violation. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers player has until Monday, March 9 to address the charges.
Manager Liam Rosenior disclosed that Neto had offered apologies to Chelsea's team for the red card, which marked the Blues' ninth—tenth including one for former manager Enzo Maresca—of what's becoming an increasingly undisciplined campaign, and acknowledged that measures must be implemented to "establish a culture of responsibility."
Chelsea's red card hall of shame
Chelsea's red card hall of shame
"This must get better," he stated. "My responsibility is to establish a culture of responsibility, where making an error is acceptable, you acknowledge it and ensure it won't repeat. But you must acknowledge the initial error.
"If I choose the wrong team or make an error, my duty is to be responsible. The same applies to my players in that situation."
"I simply need to witness behavioral improvement now. It's not only Pedro," he added. "People discuss dissent; we've received unnecessary bookings for fouls. To progress and reach our goals, we must take a deliberate step now to prevent recurrence."
Chelsea's Perfect Response After Arsenal Defeat
Chelsea's Perfect Response After Arsenal Defeat
If Rosenior sought a response from his players after the Arsenal loss, he definitely received one against Villa. However, things began unfavorably against Unai Emery's team.
Only 125 seconds had elapsed when Douglas Luiz shocked the hosts with an early goal, making light of a peculiar pre-match huddle that saw Chelsea's players congregate around the ball at the center circle.
But João Pedro answered with two goals before halftime, then Cole Palmer returned to scoring to extend Chelsea's advantage. Pedro completed Rosenior's perfect result, bringing his Premier League goal count to 14 for the season—only Erling Haaland (22), Igor Thiago (18) and Antoine Semenyo (15) have scored more.
Neto's numbers from his 28 top-flight appearances aren't as remarkable, but his five goals and four assists have combined with increasingly influential displays. Additionally, he's begun 83% of Chelsea's Premier League matches this season, playing 82% of available minutes—significantly more than players like Alejandro Garnacho, Jamie Gittens and Estêvão, who continues developing in west London following a swift breakthrough.