Xabi Alonso was pleased with João Pedro's ambition.

The 2026/27 Premier League season will feature a key match in Round 7, with Chelsea traveling to face Everton. Xabi Alonso expressed his delight at João Pedro's aggressive play and his belief that the Brazilian star will have a fantastic season.

Chelsea bounced back from their previous defeat with a 5-1 win over Bournemouth in the sixth round of the Premier League, thanks to braces from Henderson and João Pedro, as well as a goal from Morgan Rodgers.

After a run of 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses in their last 5 matches, Chelsea currently sits in 6th place in the standings with 10 points, level on points with 5th-placed Everton. In head-to-head records, Chelsea have a record of 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in their last 5 encounters with Everton.

Since the start of this Premier League season, 25-year-old João Pedro has contributed 5 goals and 3 assists for Chelsea, continuing to play a key role in the team.

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said, "This is exactly what we've been hoping to see from João Pedro, and it's what he's aiming for, but we can't just focus on the fact that he's already scored five goals. We've been talking about this since the first day of preseason, and about the breakthrough he's hoping to achieve."

“He performed brilliantly during the preseason and has had a great start to the season as well. The most important thing now is to keep it up. If you want to be a top striker in the Premier League, you have to be ready to contribute in every game. He has done that so far, and we need him to keep it up.”

Xabi Alonso said, "So far, I can see that he has the ability to score a lot of goals, and he is in very good form right now. I believe he will have a great season because he has a strong drive and keeps scoring goals."

“He wants to be in the penalty area and is also willing to help the team organize attacks near the penalty area. He is a complete player, and I like his style of play and appreciate the understanding he has with his teammates.”

Speaking about the challenge against Everton, Xabi Alonso said, "Winning a game like this is a challenge for us, but every game is tough for me. The game against Bournemouth wasn't easy either, but we eventually won."

“Every opponent is tough, especially away from home. That’s why we have to be good in many ways during the game, including tactics, competitiveness, physical confrontations and our performance on the ball. It will be a demanding and challenging game, and we are very clear about that.”

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