Kevin Phillips: Fantastic Matheus Pereira will go down in West Brom folklore
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Phillips as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
Matheus Pereira will “go down in West Brom folklore” after his stunning performance in the 5-2 win at Chelsea last week, according to Kevin Phillips.
Pereira, 24, scored twice and assisted another two goals as the Baggies shocked Chelsea, who were reduced to 10 men in the first half when Thiago Silva was sent off.
Sam Allardyce’s men still have a lot of work to do if they want to avoid relegation, which still seems like an inevitability after Newcastle’s win over Burnley on Sunday.
However, Phillips claims there could be a bit more belief after the superb win last week in London.
“I couldn’t believe what I was watching,” Phillips told West Brom News.
“Listen, let’s not get carried away – I think people forget Chelsea had a man sent off.
“But, nevertheless, some of the football they played with the counter-attacking, the pace, the quality and the finishing like Pereira – wow.
“He’ll go down in West Brom folklore for getting two goals away at Stamford Bridge. Fantastic.
“It was an incredible performance but just a shame they couldn’t produce those goods a bit more consistently over the season.
“They’re still not dead and buried, they still have a big mountain to climb but if they can play like that from now until the end of the season, who knows?”
Since winning promotion, Pereira has scored seven goals and supplied five assists for West Brom in the Premier League in 26 appearances. It means he’s having a direct hand in a goal once every other game on average.
Out of the eight goals he’s scored in all competitions this season, all but one of them has come away from The Hawthorns with the Brazilian midfielder making himself at home in the yellow and green away kit.
It still seems unlikely that West Brom will avoid relegation back to the Championship this season unless a huge miracle happens over the coming weeks.
If we do go down then Pereira is someone we’ll have to keep our wits about because other clubs will no doubt be queuing up to sign the former Sporting CP ace with the way he tore Chelsea to shreds last weekend.
In other West Brom news, this £42,000-a-week Aston Villa player has been tipped for a potential free transfer to The Hawthorns in the summer.
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