Lampard expecting more of the same from Abraham
Tammy Abraham (Getty Images)
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Cape Town - Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has backed striker Tammy Abraham to continue to impress against the Premier League's 'big six', after scoring in Sunday's 2-1 win over Arsenal.
Abraham has thrived in the Premier League with Chelsea this season, scoring 12 goals in 19 appearances, and Lampard is confident there is more to come.
The 22-year-old academy graduate has profited from Chelsea's transfer ban, making the centre-forward spot his own, after impressing during two spells on loan in the Championship.
He hit 23 goals in 2016-17 at Bristol City and fired Aston Villa to promotion after notching 26 times last season.
Lampard isn't short on striking options with Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi available, but he was clear that Abraham would be his main man from the off in 2019-20.
The England international brought up goal number 12 to round off 2019 in style as Chelsea beat Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday.
It was Abraham's first goal against one of the league's so-called 'big six' teams and Lampard believes it will give his man confidence to do it against their other rivals.
Lampard said: "Hopefully it will help him. His numbers are great and getting better.
"People will always look at 'have you scored against the big six', I get that from the outside. But I have no doubt that he will do, and that as he develops he'll do that more and more."
Abraham is currently joint-third, one behind second-placed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in the race for the 2019-20 Premier League Golden Boot, matching Marcus Rashford's haul.
But he has plenty of work to do in the second half of the season if he is to knock Leicester's Jamie Vardy, who has scored 17 times, off top spot.
The hitman will have the opportunity to boost his scoring figures when Chelsea return to action at Brighton on New Year's Day, and punters using their free bet may want to back the Blues for the win.
- TEAMTalk
Read more on: chelsea | english premiership | tammy abraham | soccer
Watford v Tottenham Hotspur, Vicarage Road 14:30
Norwich City v AFC Bournemouth, Carrow Road 17:00
Arsenal v Sheffield United, Emirates Stadium 17:00
Manchester City v Crystal Palace, Etihad Stadium 17:00
West Ham United v Everton, London Stadium 17:00
Southampton v Wolverhampton Wanderers, St. Mary's Stadium 17:00
Brighton & Hove Albion v Aston Villa, The American Express Community Stadium 17:00
Newcastle United v Chelsea, St. James' Park 19:30
Burnley v Leicester City, Turf Moor 16:00
Liverpool v Manchester United, Anfield 18:30
Sheffield United v Manchester City, Bramall Lane 21:30
Everton v Newcastle United, Goodison Park 21:30
Crystal Palace v Southampton, Selhurst Park 21:30
Aston Villa v Watford, Villa Park 21:30
AFC Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion, Vitality Stadium 21:30
Chelsea v Arsenal, Stamford Bridge 22:15
5 Manchester United 22 9 34
7 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22 7 31
8 Tottenham Hotspur 22 8 30
9 Crystal Palace 22 7 29
10 Arsenal 22 6 28
11 Everton 22 8 28
12 Southampton 22 8 28
13 Newcastle United 22 7 26
14 Brighton & Hove Albion 22 6 24
15 Burnley 22 7 24
16 West Ham United 21 6 22
17 Watford 22 5 22
18 Aston Villa 22 6 21
19 AFC Bournemouth 22 5 20
20 Norwich City 22 3 14
12 January Aston Villa 1 - 6 Manchester City
12 January AFC Bournemouth 0 - 3 Watford
11 January Tottenham Hotspur 0 - 1 Liverpool
11 January Chelsea 3 - 0 Burnley
11 January Everton 1 - 0 Brighton & Hove Albion
11 January Leicester City 1 - 2 Southampton
And the 2019/20 English Premiership champions will be ... ?
4% Arsenal
2% Chelsea
11% Manchester City