‘Big boost for us’ – Bilic blown away by ‘Amazing’ West Brom outfield player
Slaven Bilic has been waxing lyrical about Matheus Pereira after the West Brom attacker shone in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday.
Pereira, 24, failed to have a direct impact in Albion’s one and only goal, scored by Conor Gallagher in the first half at The Hawthorns, but he did manage to create a whole host of opportunities for the Baggies to score.
According to stats by Opta, on The Athletic website, Pereira created nine chances against the Blades. To put that into context, he created more chances in a single match than any player has done this season, beating the six chances made by seven players including the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne.
West Brom fans are fully aware of how good Pereira can be but he’s failed to show it very often in the Premier League.
But there’s no denying his performance against Sheffield United was one that Albion fans grew accustomed to in the Championship last season when the Brazilian assisted more goals than any other player.
Bilic has been paying tribute to the former Sporting CP playmaker after watching his display in West Brom’s first league win of the season on Saturday.
“I don’t need stats to know that in this game he was amazing,” said Bilic, as quoted by The Athletic. “He is always skilful but this time, he was doing it at top pace.
“He was doing dribbling that was hurting them. He was not dribbling in a static way. He was progressing with the ball. That way he put himself and the guys in good positions to play the key balls. He was the Matheus that I want him to be and that I know he can definitely be in every game. So that is a big boost for us.”
Pereira hasn’t been among the goals as much as he would have hoped this season with the 24-year-old not registering a goal since the defeat at Everton and not supplying an assist since the 3-3 with Chelsea.
However, there’s no denying that he’s West Brom’s most creative player.
According to stats by WhoScored, Pereira has averaged 2.3 key passes per game in the Premier League this term – more than any other player in Bilic’s squad.
It also ranks him ninth in the Premier League, ahead of players like Harry Kane [2.1], Hakim Ziyech [2] and Trent Alexander-Arnold [1.6].
Up next for the Baggies is another home clash with Crystal Palace making their way to the Black Country on Sunday.
Roy Hodgson’s men have lost three of their last four Premier League games and are a team who Albion might be able to get the better of if Pereira hits the same stride he was in against Sheffield United.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Phillips is surprised by this journalist’s update on a potential takeover at The Hawthorns.
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