The mentality of the team - Pedro Neto hails Chelsea after FA Cup rout

Pedro Neto has praised Chelsea’s mentality following their emphatic 4-0 victory over Hull City, a result that secured the Blues’ place in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

The Portuguese winger delivered a standout performance, netting his first-ever senior hat-trick.

Neto opened the scoring just before halftime with a precise strike from the edge of the box. He doubled Chelsea’s lead shortly after the restart when his inswinging corner evaded everyone in the penalty area, including Hull’s goalkeeper, and curled directly into the net.

After Estevao Willian made it 3-0 from a Liam Delap assist, Neto completed his treble with a calm finish into the bottom corner.

“Really pleased. I think the mentality of the team was amazing. We came to a tough place and won 4-0 away. This competition is really tough, so we are really happy to go through,” Neto said after the match.

There was brief uncertainty surrounding his second goal, initially credited to teammate Jorrel Hato before replays confirmed the Dutch defender did not make contact.

“To be honest, on the second goal, I wasn’t sure if it was mine. At the end of the game, I asked the referee if it was a hat-trick. He said, ‘Yeah, you have the right!” Neto admitted.

He revealed that Hato quickly clarified matters on the pitch.

He continued, “Jorrel said to me, ‘It’s your goal, I didn’t touch it!’ There was confusion, so I didn’t celebrate much. But in the end, I’m really happy.”

The 25-year-old described the milestone as special but insisted the team’s progress remains the priority.

“It’s my first senior hat-trick, so we’ll have a party tonight. It means a lot, but I’ll keep working hard to bring more happiness and more goals!” he said with a smile.