London, Aug 23 (IANS) Joao Pedro felt the squad’s togetherness was key to overturning an early setback, with the Brazilian playing a starring role in Chelsea’s 5-1 victory over West Ham.

It was a dazzling display from Joao Pedro and his teammates as the Blues stormed to their first Premier League win of the season at the London Stadium. After the home side had taken an early lead, Chelsea responded in style with first-half goals from Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez to turn the game on its head before the interval.

Their momentum only continued building after the restart, with Moises Caicedo marking a century of Chelsea appearances with their fourth of the evening, before Trevoh Chalobah completed the five-goal routing in emphatic fashion.

Pedro, who combined his first Premier League goal in Blue with two assists, highlighted the spirit within the squad as a crucial factor in responding to West Ham’s opener.

“We started the game having gone one goal down, but we showed our togetherness today to win the game. I think we know our power. When we started the game, the first thing we thought about was winning. We’ve got so much power in the team. Cole Palmer was out today, but we played Estevao Willian and he showed his quality. It’s good to have a team like this.

“With [so many] different players scoring today, that will help give confidence to the team. That confidence will help us keep going.

“To have the first win away is very important for us. It helps to prepare us for other games. You never know, you can go 1-0 down, but if you have the confidence, then you can change the game,” said Pedro.

That sense of unity has also helped the 23-year-old settle quickly in his new surroundings, with Joao Pedro noting the deep connection between Chelsea and his homeland over the years.

He continued, “A lot of Brazilians have come here and made history, but it’s the beginning of my journey.

“I’ve been expecting to come to a big team for a long time, so I’ve arrived with a lot of energy to take this opportunity. I wanted to try and show my quality in the game, and today I was happy to score and get two assists.”

The South American also spoke of the bond he is already building with the Chelsea supporters, underlining the role of his footballing background in shaping that relationship.

“I’m from Brazil, and the connection between the players and the fans is so important. Of course, we’ll always be going to give 100 per cent to make them happy. I’m very happy to play in front of the fans and show them our quality.”

–IANS

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