Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has been heavily praised this week after his performance against Norwich on Saturday.

The 21-year-old scored two goals as the Blues beat newly promoted Norwich 3-2, ensuring Lampard’s first win of the season and Abraham’s first goals.

The forward has had a difficult start to the 2019/20 season, with his penalty miss costing the Blues their chance at early silverware in the UEFA Super Cup, whilst he was also criticised for his poor performance vs Manchester United during their 4-0 loss.

This, alongside being the subject of horrific racist abuse on social media, is enough to put most people off the sport, but Abraham has shown excellent maturity throughout the ordeal and repaid Lampard for his faith with the double against the Canaries.

Abraham has always looked like a class-act up front, but surprisingly many believed he was not ready to lead the line for Chelsea, going against the expert advice of sites like the portal sportsbetting24.

Doubters included longtime pundit for the BBC former Tottenham striker Garth Crooks, who admitted in his column that he was wrong about the No.9.

“I must be honest, I never thought that Tammy Abraham was a Chelsea player. That was because I always saw Chelsea as a top-four team,” said the pundit.

“Frank Lampard has seen something in this kid and Abraham looks like he is prepared to walk over broken glass for Lampard. Provided that allegiance remains intact, Abraham has a chance of making it at Chelsea.

“His first goal against the Norwich was brilliantly instinctive, while his second was taken like a player who is growing in confidence. Abraham can now put that penalty miss in the Super Cup well and truly behind him and the trolls can take a running jump.”

Another pundit who has praised Abraham for his Norwich display is Jamie Redknapp. The former Liverpool player congratulated Lampard on keeping faith in the striker, and says that despite the England international not being the finished article, there is a chance he could be Chelsea’s No.9 for many years to come.

“Let’s give Frank Lampard credit for the way he secured his first Premier League win as a manager at Norwich,” Redknapp told the Daily Mail.

“There was pressure on his side to win but Lampard had the courage to start with Tammy Abraham upfront and his bravery was rewarded as the 21-year-old got two goals.

“Abraham is not the finished article. I think he needs to be nastier and a master of the dark arts like Diego Costa. Then maybe the No 9 shirt will be his for the foreseeable future.”

It’s fair to say that many frowned upon Lampard’s courage to go with Abraham leading the Blues’ line, but the decision looks to have paid off – and it’s likely that the best is yet to come.