Mateus Fernandes may be about to turn a corner as a Tottenham Hotspur player.
After signing from West Ham in the summer in a big-money move, much was expected of the 22-year-old in his debut Spurs campaign.
So far, however, the central midfielder has endured a mixed bag of performances to start life in N17.
He's yet to really cement a starting role under Roberto De Zerbi, having been named in the lineup in four of his eight Premier League outings.
But after being on the bench for Spurs' previous two games, Fernandes came back into the starting XI against Chelsea.
What he did in the Lilywhites' 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge could set him up for a real purple patch of form over the coming festive period.
What did Jamie Redknapp say about Mateus Fernandes?
Given Tottenham have endured a slow start to the 2026-27 season, Fernandes hasn't been dealt the strongest hand so far in terms of hitting the ground running.
Some players take longer to find their feet than others, and especially as a central midfielder under a tactically complex coach such as De Zerbi.
However, with a relatively kind fixture schedule coming up over the coming weeks, this feels like a prime opportunity for the Portuguese talent to show what he can do.
Speaking on The Overlap, Jamie Redknapp acknowledged Fernandes' display against Chelsea, and has forecasted it to be a watershed moment for him.
"Fernandes had a big game versus Chelsea, it felt like a moment for him," he said.
Per FotMob, no player on the pitch in Spurs' win over Chelsea made more defensive contributions (14) or took more touches (124) than Fernandes.
He also completed 92 per cent of his pass attempts successfully, created two chances, played 27 line-breaking passes, made five tackles and six recoveries.
Crystal Palace are Spurs' next opponents on Saturday evening, but why are the Eagles destined to see their wings clipped via Fernandes?
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Despite being a more defensive-minded midfielder by trade, Fernandes' aforementioned numbers against Chelsea show how much of a threat he carries in attack too.
That will not be music to Crystal Palace's ears on Saturday, as their defensive numbers this term have been pretty appaling,
No team in the Premier League has conceded more goals than the Eagles' 19 from eight games, which is an average per game of 2.4.
On top of that, they rank 17th for average possession per game with 44.5 per cent, offering up a golden chance for Fernandes to dictate the match.
Pierre Sage's side have kept just one clean sheet all season too, so Fernandes should be licking his lips ahead of this one.