Analysis: Joao Pedro shines as he closes in on 20 goals
· Yahoo Sports
Hat-trick hero Joao Pedro made it nine goals in nine games to give Chelsea a significant boost in their bid to qualify for the Champions League.
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His clever movement at the back post allowed him to get free of Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa to equalise, while his dinked finish just before half-time underlined his quality.
His third was another tap-in after Alejandro Garnacho exploited Villa's high line and his 71st minute overhead-kick - which went just wide - highlighted his joga bonito - 'play beautiful' - spirit.
The forward's all-round ability means he can score different types of goals - close range or long range, with his feet and with his head, clinical and spectacular.
Only Manchester City pair Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, along with Brentford's Igor Thiago, have scored more than his 14 Premier League goals this season.
And Joao Pedro, who has also contributed seven assists, has reached that total without any penalties to boost the tally.
Not since Diego Costa's efforts in the 2016-17 title‑winning campaign have Chelsea had a striker capable of scoring 20 goals in a single season, with Tammy Abraham, a Villa substitute on Wednesday, coming closest during his time at Stamford Bridge.
It is not just his output that has impressed staff at Chelsea. Joao Pedro has also acted as a mentor for young Brazilians Estevao Willian and Andrey Santos, and he is known for volunteering for difficult tasks such as speaking to the media after disappointing defeats.
Chelsea believe they selected the right striker and have had value for money from their £55m deal with Brighton, in a summer that Alexander Isak joined Liverpool, Benjamin Sesko moved to Manchester United and Viktor Gyokeres signed for Arsenal.