EPL

Lampard ‘very happy’ with Abraham’s progression

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Frank Lampard has hailed Tammy Abraham’s promising Premier League goal record at Chelsea.

Abraham became Chelsea’s second-youngest player to hit 20 Premier League goals, behind only Eden Hazard, with his brace in Monday’s 3-0 victory over West Ham.

Abraham now boasts 20 goals in 47 Premier League appearances, with five strikes so far this term.

And boss Lampard hailed the homegrown striker for continuing to blossom, even amid the pressures of wearing Chelsea’s coveted number nine shirt.

‘I’m very pleased with his form, and Tammy offers a lot,’ said Lampard.

‘We saw that the other night against West Ham and we’ve seen that this season whenever he’s played.

‘Tammy and Olivier Giroud have offered us a lot in their own way at different times.

‘Now he just has to keep working and keep progressing.

‘Last season was a great, real breakthrough season for him in terms of Premier League and being Chelsea’s number nine, and there’s more work he can do.

‘I’m very happy with him.’

Chelsea will take on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Boxing Day before hosting Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 28.

Two quickfire fixtures will require boss Lampard to rotate his resources, leaving him more concerned than usual over the fitness of his injury doubts.

Ben Chilwell’s ankle issue and Reece James’ knee concern will require late checks, while Hakim Ziyech has still not beaten his hamstring injury.

‘Hakim won’t be fit for Arsenal but he’s not a long-term concern,’ Lampard said.

‘In fact we hope to have him back in the next week or so, and have him offering what he was offering before – because he was offering great things, and you miss that when he’s taken away.

‘But that’s football, that’s the squad, that’s what happens when players are playing at a very high level every two or three days.’

Chelsea will head to north London to take on an Arsenal side far removed from that which dismissed Lampard’s men to lift the FA Cup in August.

Boss Mikel Arteta is battling to save his job, with the club languishing in the lower reaches of the Premier League table.

Refusing to engage on Arsenal’s treacherous position and whether they are in a relegation battle, Lampard said: ‘I don’t want to talk about what their battle is, they’re just a good team with a good manager.

‘They’ve had some tough results recently but the general way of the Premier League this season for every team it’s been more inconsistent than it’s been in probably previous seasons for most teams.

‘It’s not my concern exactly where they are at, my concern is the team at face value, in terms of quality, and they are a high-quality team.

‘We have to prepare to take on the best possible Arsenal.’