Joao Pedro's Chelsea mindset revealed as exciting Cole Palmer admission made

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Joao Pedro is one of the Premier League's most in-form players at the moment and the Chelsea forward is closing in on the infamous 20-goal mark in his debut season at Stamford Bridge

Joao Pedro is relishing the pressure on his shoulders to become the first Chelsea striker since Diego Costa to score 20 goals in a season.

The Brazil international scored a hat-trick in Wednesday night's victory over Aston Villa, meaning he has now bagged 17 goals in all competitions for the Blues in his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Joao Pedro has scored 14 in the Premier League alone, with only Erling Haaland (22), Igor Thiago (18) and Antoine Semenyo (15) bagging more than the 24-year-old. Chelsea have not had a striker since Costa in the 2016/17 season to reach the infamous 20-goal mark in the Premier League. Joao Pedro is not thinking about the outside noise as he looks to continue his red-hot form, which has seen him score 10 goals since Liam Rosenior's January appointment.

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"I just try to not think too much about the outside," Joao Pedro said. "I just try to do my best every match, and hopefully I can keep doing that and get 20 goals this season.

"I've been here [in England] a long time, six years already, and I was working to get to this point, to arrive at a big club. My opportunity came and now I need to try to do my best every day.

"I think if you can come to play for Chelsea, there is pressure every day, every season. This is normal. We have to just do our job."

After signing from Brighton for £60million last summer, no summer arrival has scored more Premier League goals than Joao Pedro's 14.

This comes as no real surprise to the Chelsea forward: "No [I am not surprised], I knew my opportunity to come to a big club would come, I would get my chance and I had to be ready.

"I know I have brilliant players around me, and if I keep working hard, they are going to give me passes like they did today [vs Aston Villa], assist me, and if I'm in front of the goal, I just need to try and do my job."

Joao Pedro has also been linking up impressively with Cole Palmer in recent games, something the Brazilian is enjoying.

"Palmer, everyone knows, he's a special player," said the Chelsea forward. "And since I joined, he has always tried to be around and to help me. Now we are always together in training and outside we try to be together as well. I love to play with him."