It was a game of few clear-cut chances for the Blues, but a win that was certainly hard-fought and efficient, with Chelsea scoring both goals with our only shots on target. The first came from the Brazilian who clinically smashed home the opener, before Cole Palmer made sure of the win from the spot after the break.

Recognising how challenging the contest was, Joao Pedro was pleased to contribute to our first Premier League win since December, especially against Brentford, who have proved their quality with wins against the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Aston Villa this season.

The 24-year-old believes our victory will only breed more confidence with an important Champions League contest to come next week.

‘It was a tough game against a tough team,’ he reflected. ‘It’s been a while since we won a Premier League game, and while we didn’t play as well as we can, we won the game, secured a clean sheet, and earned three points. That’s the most important thing.

‘When we play at home, we need to show ourselves and be aggressive like we did today. I think when you win, you feel more confident because we're still in the race and we want to be as close to the top as possible.

'This win is very good because they are doing very well this season. They have dropped points against us, and we are still in the race.’

With his goal coming before the half-hour mark, Joao Pedro felt it arrived at the perfect time to settle the Blues into their stride.

‘We needed that goal and I want to score in as many games as possible,’ he continued. ‘It was great for the team and me, but we can improve more.

‘Everyone knows Brentford are aggressive, so we tried to make combinations to come at them and they pressed us high. I think we won the first balls and second balls, and that’s why we won the game today.’

Making three recoveries during the contest, Joao Pedro explained that head coach Liam Rosenior had asked him to contribute to the defensive side of the match – and the forward was happy to oblige.

‘The gaffer asked me to do that, so I tried to do my best,’ he added. ‘It’s hard to do, but I always want to help the team by running back and forward. If he asks me to do something, I will try to do my best.

‘He has tried to help us do what he wants. I think we all tried to help each other on the pitch, running for each other to stop the other team from creating attacking opportunities. It was a tough game, but important to get the three points.’