It has taken nine years, but Chelsea appear to have found a striker in Joao Pedro capable of leading the line in the way Diego Costa did during the 2016–17 title‑winning season.

The 24-year-old's hat‑trick away to rivals Aston Villa may only have provided a boost in the race for Champions League qualification, but it came in a match Chelsea had gone into with head coach Liam Rosenior speaking of time "running out" for their hopes.

It was an exceptional, all‑action display from a forward now on 17 goals in all competitions, with 14 of them non‑penalty strikes in the Premier League alongside seven league assists. Only Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has more non‑penalty goals in the league this season.

Not since Costa have Chelsea had a striker capable of reaching 20 goals in a season, a mark the Brazilian now needs just three more to reach with at least 12 games remaining, including the upcoming FA Cup tie at Wrexham and two‑legged Champions League tie against Paris St‑Germain.

Joao Pedro's first goal came as he cleverly peeled away from Ezri Konsa at the far post to tap in an equaliser, after Chelsea had fallen behind to an early Douglas Luiz strike.

He put Chelsea in front by dinking a finish over Emiliano Martinez just before half‑time, before sealing victory when he tapped in an Alejandro Garnacho cross shortly after Cole Palmer had powered in Chelsea's third.

Joao Pedro earned a pat on the back from Rosenior and a standing ovation from the supporters when he came off in the 85th minute.

After the match, Rosenior was naturally asked about his target man and said: "He is a top player and growing in confidence.

"His goal with his left foot is world class, but I was really delighted with his two tap-ins. He was in the right place at the right time [and we have] worked hard with him on that. He gets a hat-trick and it is an outstanding team performance."

While Rosenior was keen to praise the entire team it was Joao Pedro who was mentioned most and rightly so – his goals have helped lift Chelsea to fifth and cut the gap on Villa to just three points as they push to meet their minimum pre‑season target of qualifying for the Champions League again.

Chelsea have their answer to Sesko, Gyokores and Isak

Chelsea had watched Arsenal secure Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting, Manchester United sign Benjamin Sesko, and Liverpool then prise Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a British‑record £150m, before completing the £55m signing of Joao Pedro from Brighton in July.

Having been spotted on a beach in Brazil while on holiday, he made an immediate impact at the Club World Cup, scoring three goals in three starts - including a lob similar to his second strike at Villa Park in the final win over Paris St‑Germain in New Jersey.

Perhaps fortunately, Joao Pedro opted for the number 20 shirt, having arrived after Liam Delap's move from Ipswich, with the English striker taking the number nine jersey.

That number has weighed heavily on Delap – just as it has on others, including Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang, Radamel Falcao, Fernando Torres, Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain during underwhelming spells in west London.

Instead, Joao Pedro exceeded early expectations, scoring twice and providing three assists in his first four Premier League matches.

He then struggled with fitness issues during the autumn period, leading to a dip in form as former head coach Enzo Maresca managed his workload carefully.

But since Rosenior's appointment, he has scored 10 goals in nine Premier League games, along with two more away to Napoli in the Champions League to help the club to avoid the play‑off round.

But his hat-trick at Villa is his biggest achievement in Chelsea colours to date.

"I think it is a special night for me," Joao Pedro told TNT Sport. "I was waiting for this time. My hat-trick came at the right moment, after we lost against Arsenal, I think we showed them the comeback and how much we want to achieve.

"I work a lot to be ready for this moment, and I have great players around me, so I try to always be in the right place, and today I could score three goals.

"Today was special, that is why I did a small samba [dance]."

Chelsea have also been impressed with Joao Pedro's influence behind the scenes. He has acted as a mentor to young Brazilian pair Estevao Willian and Andrey Santos, having moved to England seven years ago to join Watford as a teenager.

He has also volunteered for media duties after difficult defeats and has helped bridge dressing‑room divides, befriending English-, Spanish- and French‑speaking team-mates.

It is not a feeling Chelsea have often had in recent years, but they can finally be content with their main striker as he helps ease the pressure in their bid to ensure they are in Europe's top‑tier competition next season.