TAMMY TREBLE

Abraham stars as Chelsea’s kids come of age

TAMMY ABRAHAM’S procession of goals continued as he became the youngest Chelsea player to score a Premier League hat-trick.

Abraham fired in three goals inside 21 minutes each side of half-time at Molineux, taking his haul to seven in three games and earning praise and a warning from manager Frank Lampard.

His first was a lethal finish on the spin in a congested penalty area, his second a powerful header and his third illustrated what a complete centre- forward he could become.

There was a fabulous display of his pace and strength to hold Conor Coady at bay, a shuffle of his feet to beat the Wolves captain and find a yard and a clinical strike across hapless goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

It was a perfect response to Abraham’s omission from the last England squad and will surely convince Gareth Southgate to call him up before supposed interest from Nigeria goes any further.

‘The way he is going will obviously put him into that bracket without telling Gareth what to do,’ said Lampard. ‘I have confidence in him and I’m prepared to give him chances, but even more now I will be tougher on him because he has shown what he can do.

‘The moment he wants to come off that and think that goals will drop at his feet will be the moment he will be rested.

‘It is important to make sure that he stays on his game. He has to sustain it. He has to get even better. He has to be hungry, which I know he is. He can never rest on his laurels. There’s more work to be done and the next England squad is a few weeks away.’

As if to prove everything he touches turns to goals, Abraham was also credited with the first Wolves goal.

The ball was pushed on to his right hand and then spun into the net after Kepa Arrizabalaga had saved a header by Romain Saiss.

Patrick Cutrone pounced to make it 4-2, forcing in a rebound after Kepa saved from Matt Doherty, but there was to be no late fightback by Wolves. Mason Mount broke to convert a fifth in stoppage time for the visitors. With young centre- half Fikayo Tomori scoring the game’s opener — his first for the club with a swerving strike from distance which bamboozled Patricio — it means Chelsea’ first 11 goals of the Premier League campaign have all been scored by academy graduates. ‘I hope they’re feeding off each other,’ said Lampar d. ‘ That’s good, d, competition between n friends. I would’ve been like that.

‘They should aspire and feel the opportunity is there if they deserve it and they should see their team-mates doing really well and nd want to get in there.’

There was no clean n sheet for Chelsea, and ultimately they remain vulnerable at the back and Antonio Rudiger was forced off with a slight groin injury at halftime in his comeback from a serious knee injury, which caused concern. Lampard said he was confident it wasn’t serious, although Rudiger is doubtful for the Champions League tie against Valencia, which is followed by a visit from league leaders Liverpool. Aside from this, however, the Chelsea manager was delighted with the performance pe and an imp important win. H He may have discove ered a new format tion, with three at the back, which seemed to provide his team with a p pleasing balance. Lampard made the ta tactical switch, he said said, partly to combat the strengths st of Wolves but also to tighten up in defence after surrendering a twogoal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Sheffield United on their last outing. Such a collapse did not look like being repeated after a burst of three goals in 11 minutes before half-time stunned Molineux.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s team have re-energised the place in the last two years but, this season, Wolves are still searching for their first Premier League win and are in the bottom three after five games.

On went Cutrone and Doherty and Wolves did summon some sort of improvement but this was Chelsea’s day. ‘ It’s a tough place to come,’ said Lampard. ‘Wolves got good results last season against the top six because they defend well and don’t concede opportunities.

‘They are so dangerous on the counter-attack too so we changed the system and I thought the players took that on board really well.’