🦁 Premier League Player of the Week - Brazilian shines under Big Sam | OneFootball

We’re heading into the business end of the season and West Brom proved there’s life in them yet.

Our Premier League player of the week is …

Matheus Pereira (West Bromwich Albion)

Matheus Pereira enjoyed a standout campaign in the Championship last season with West Brom earning promotion under Slaven Bilić.

But things haven’t been so easy this time around. Scoring in purple patches, the Brazilian has struggled to establish himself under the more defensively minded Sam Allardyce.

That all changed at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Initially starting on the left, Pereira was given a free-role to roam behind striker Mbaye Diagne and took full advantage of that liberty.

His first goal was pure instinct. One long clearance from Sam Johnstone was enough to send him through, but the delicacy of his first-time lob over Édouard Mendy was brilliant.

And it was two shortly after when the Brazilian took charge on the edge of the box, sent three Chelsea defenders to the shops before slotting into the corner.

It was the first time Chelsea had conceded in open play since February – or 734 minutes if you’re more numerically inclined – and Pereira scored twice.

But it wasn’t just the goals that impressed, it was his overall play; his touch, his awareness, his weight of pass. And that shone through in both assists.

With his hat-trick in sight, the 24-year-old opted against shooting and instead squared to Diagne who had a clearer path to goal, and he duly obliged making it 4-1.

The second assist? Oof the second assist. We just made the loudest chef’s kiss of all time.

Drifting over unmarked to the right half-space, he took one touch, lifted his head and played a perfect pass through to Callum Robinson who dinked beautifully over Mendy.

“Obviously you could say the sending off helped, playing against ten men, but you’ve got to beat what’s still a very good side,” said Allardyce after the game.

“And Matheus was central to that. He really helped us between the lines and of course, he had the quality to produce when it mattered.”

And that’s exactly what it was – quality. West Brom still have a major fight on their hands to survive, but any miracle will surely need Pereira at the heart.