‘What an idiot’ – Ex-Chelsea star slams Pedro Neto after Arsenal red card

Chelsea’s disciplinary problems deepened on Sunday after Pedro Neto was sent off in a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The Portuguese winger’s moment of madness has now drawn sharp criticism from former Blues striker Chris Sutton.

Pedro Neto endured a nightmare second half as Chelsea FC fell short against Arsenal to succumb to their third straight loss against the Gunners.

The contest was finely poised until Jurrien Timber restored Arsenal’s lead with 24 minutes remaining. From there, Neto’s composure deserted him.

He was first booked for dissent after angrily protesting the goal, before receiving a second yellow card just three minutes later for a cynical foul on Gabriel Martinelli to halt a counter-attack.

Reduced to ten men at a crucial stage, Chelsea struggled to mount a comeback and ultimately succumbed to another frustrating defeat.

The red card marked the club’s ninth dismissal across all competitions this season, underlining ongoing issues with discipline.

Former Chelsea forward Chris Sutton did not mince his words when assessing the incident on BBC Radio Five Live.

“From Chelsea’s point of view, Pedro Neto let them down badly. What an idiot getting sent off like that,” Sutton said after the final whistle.

His comments echo the frustration of supporters, especially given how competitive the match had been before the sending-off. With manager Liam Rosenior pushing for a top-four finish and progress in Europe, such lapses threaten to derail Chelsea’s ambitions.

For Neto, a player who has otherwise been influential this season, the dismissal serves as a costly loss for Chelsea, who have now equalled the most red cards by a team in a single season in Premier League history with seven.