TAMMY ABRAHAM gave Gareth Southgate major food for thought after an impressive performance against Burnley.
The Chelsea striker scored a towering header in a 3-0 win over the Clarets and proved himself a pain in the backside for the full 90 minutes.
Tammy Abraham was excellent as Chelsea beat Burnley 3-0Credit: Getty – Contributor
Harry Kane is out until at least April and even if the Tottenham and England captain can get back before Euro 2020 the possibility of him being 100 per cent fit and ready to fire seems remote.
It’s something of a disaster for Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate – but it need not be.
Enter Tammy Abraham.
The striker may be raw around the edges but in an excellent performance against Burnley, once again proved he could be the man to lead England this summer.
Against the Clarets he showed off everything you could ask for in a modern-day striker.
He’s quick and physical, brings others into play, works for 90 minutes and has enough class to lead the line on his own.
Tammy Abraham scored a towering header in the win – and would have been disappointed not to score anotherCredit: AFP or licensors
Crucially, he knows exactly where the goal is and comes alive when he gets a sniff at a chance.
Standing an imposing 6ft 3in and quicker than most defenders, there’s not a defender in Europe who will look forward to meeting him.
Against Burnley the only mark against him was that he probably should have had a hat-trick.
Abraham scored Chelsea’s second with a towering header from an utterly brilliant Reece James cross.
Leaping higher than his markers, Abraham buried his header into the ground to give Nick Pope no chance.
His two other big chances came off some simply brilliant movement.
Gareth Southgate will have been impressed with what he sawCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
One of the chances will leave him kicking himself tonight but the other was kept out by a superb reaction save.
But for both chances – one a near post header from a Mason Mount cross and the other coming from a near-post run, also off Mount – it was his movement and timing that was so good.
Ben Mee may not match up to the likes of Raphael Varane or Leonardo Bonucci, but he is a solid and experienced Premier League defender.
He was left in the dust by Abraham both times.
Southgate has other options, of course.
England captain Harry Kane is out injured until AprilCredit: Reuters
Marcus Rashford has been Manchester United’s best player and if he can convince Jamie Vardy to come back, the Leicester striker would be a real danger man.
But the chances of convincing Vardy to return appear slim, while Rashford has been excellent appearing on the left for the Three Lions.
It was a good audition for Abraham that will give Southgate food for thought.
The England boss – and Chelsea boss Frank Lampard – will be hoping the big striker can continue in this vein of form until the summer.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
