Joao Pedro makes immediate impact for Chelsea amid injuries

Joao Pedro has made an immediate impact since joining Chelsea this summer, scoring five goals and providing two assists in six appearances across the Club World Cup and the Premier League, and emerging as a key figure for manager Enzo Maresca amid early-season injuries and turnover in the club's forward line. The Brazil striker moved from Brighton in July and has already been nominated for the Premier League player of the month for August, Chelsea said on the club's Instagram account on September 4.

Pedro's fast start includes three goals in as many Club World Cup games, one of them in the final, and two goals plus two assists in his first three Premier League outings. The numbers help explain why he has become a preferred option for Maresca after the departures of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku and with Liam Delap sidelined by a hamstring injury that could keep the English forward out for up to two months, according to club reports. Marc Guiu was recalled from his loan at Sunderland to bolster Chelsea's options up front.

Pedro has acknowledged the pressure of arriving at a club with established stars, saying he was initially "a little bit scared" of how team-mate Cole...