Lampard: Tammy’s goals will put him in the England bracket, but it’s up to Gareth Southgate

Frank Lampard was delighted with his three young players, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount, but has challenged them to maintain their brilliant start to the season.

Abraham scored a hat-trick while Tomori scored a worldie and Mount scored yet again as the Blues beat Wolves 5-2 yesterday.

Lampard said of striker Abraham’s chances of making the next England squad: "With the way he is going it will obviously put him into that bracket without telling Gareth what to do.

“To score seven goals in three games and be top scorer and play with the quality of his all-round game, the three goals he scored are just what you want - a messy one, a header and a fantastic feet and finish goal.”

But a warning is there.

He said: "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 because there’s more work to be done and that England squad is a few weeks away.”

"But knowing his abilities and watching him in the Championship, have two great seasons, I felt it was more than time for him to have his opportunity and he needed to show it in pre-season and hence he started at Manchester United.

"I have competition in there. I definitely don’t want to down talk Oli Giroud and Batshuayi, because we need them as well and Batshuayi looked sharp when he came on and Oli always gives us something of a high level. So it was up to Tammy to show it.

"I have confidence in him, and I am 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 that he will be rested. It is important to make sure that he stays on his game.

"I am happy because I see him every day with a feeling that he just wants to play every day, score goals every day and that’s something a bit special.

"You don’t see that with all young players. It’s a great gift in him."

And of Tomori’s 30-yard blaster?

"I didn’t know he could stick it in the top corner,” said Lampard.

“He was a good young player when I had him at Derby last season, but the confidence in him is a great story from seeing it first hand.

"I knew he could step in because he has pace, he defended really well. It’s the same with all of them.

"If they keep playing with the same attitude and train every day like they train, then they will have fantastic careers all of them. But they must sustain that.”

Lampard is sensing. Strong bond between the trio

“It’s good competition between friends. I would have been like that. When you’re a young player you see people and see what happens.

"You see Mason in the England squad, Tammy, Tomori. We look at Callum (Hudson-Odoi) who’s injured back home, Ruben’s slightly older, Reece James, so that's good.

"They should aspire and feel the opportunity is there if they deserve it. And they should see their team-mates do really well and want to get in there.”

Lampard was quick to recognise that it’s not all about the kids. "Willian was fantastic against Wolves, absolutely brilliant. If we are going to be successful this season then we can’t absolutely rely on the young boys, but at the minute they are doing a good job of taking the reigns.”

Lampard recognises the work the staff at the Academy are putting in and is more than willing to namecheck those that have brought the likes of Abraham, Mount and Tomori through.

"The academy staff are delighted,” said Lampard.

“They have worked for years and they bring players through with a great attitude and desire to want to play for Chelsea.

"We had a couple of pints in the week with (academy boss) Neil Bath and the academy staff because I think it is important that the club is joined up. It doesn’t mean that young players are going to start every week, but there must be a connection.

"When they work for hours and hours with these young players and invest time, then it is nice for them to see."

"When I sit here and Tammy is scoring it makes me happy going home, and it should also say to Neil Bath and Jim Fraser, the academy staff, some of whom are on my staff now, well done.