Joao Pedro reveals conversation he had with Chelsea star that lead to their equalizing goal in 2-2 draw against Newcastle

Chelsea star Joao Pedro has revealed his conversation with Robert Sanchez in their 2-2 draw against Newcastle United on Saturday, December 20. Their combination helped their side earn a point at St. James' Park in the Premier League clash.

The Blues trailed Newcastle 2-0 at halftime, having put in a disappointing performance in the first half. Reece James then scored for the visitors via a free kick in the 49th minute, before Joao Pedro equalized in the 66th minute. He got on a long ball from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and finished well.

After the game, the Brazilian forward shared what he told Sanchez as they combined for the goal. He said (h/t Chelseafc.com):

"Since the Atalanta game, the gaffer has told me to be ready for these kinds of passes, because if I win the ball, I can be in a great position, and that’s what happened today. I told Robert to send long balls towards me because I was in a one-versus-one situation, and I knew if I could control the ball, I would be in front of the goal. I was able to do that, and then one-on-one with the goalkeeper, I scored."

It was Pedro's sixth goal of the season, with the forward also providing four assists in 22 games across competitions for Chelsea.

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Joao Pedro opens up on Chelsea's performance against Newcastle United

The Magpies dominated Chelsea in the first half of their Premier League clash on Saturday. Nick Woltemade (4', 20') scored a brace, as Newcastle also missed numerous chances. The Blues made them pay as Reece James and Joao Pedro secured a draw in the second half.

After the game, Pedro told the club's website:

"I think we could have started better in the first half, but in the second half we showed our character, and we tried to get the three points. I think we had a lot of chances, but in the end it didn’t quite happen. We didn’t lose the game, but we need to learn, improve and be ready for the next few games." "I think in the first half we started a little bit slowly, and in this type of game you need to win more second balls and in the second half that’s what we did. It helped us to create more when you start to win these balls. We started quicker and with more power, and that’s why we scored," he added.

Chelsea now have just two wins in their last seven games across competitions, with two defeats and three draws.

Edited by Aditya Singh