Tammy Abraham has conceded that he is disappointed and angry with the Blues loss at home to Valencia in their Champions League clash on Tuesday night but he has charged his teammates to take their “anger” out on Liverpool when the two sides meet on Sunday.
Valencia earned a narrow 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge in their opening Group H fixture, with the La Liga side being the first team to shut out the red hot Abraham in his last four games.
The defeat became inevitable after Ross Barkley missed a late penalty for Frank Lampard’s side.
But Abraham – who has scored seven goals in his last three matches to emerge as Chelsea’s first-choice striker – played down the defeat and immediately looked ahead to Sunday’s game versus Liverpool.
“(Sunday) is a test of character. We can take our anger out against Liverpool,” he said at Stamford Bridge after the Valencia game, Soccernet.ng reports.
“It’s a massive game and both teams will be going to win. We’ll look forward to putting (tonight’s defeat) right.
“It’s still early doors (in the Champions League). We’re fuming we lost today. But there’s still five games to go – we just have to win our next five.
“We’re obviously disappointed. We didn’t play our best football. Valencia came and stopped us playing the way we wanted so you have to give them credit.
“We’re going to have a lot of ups and downs in a season. We’ve got to move on and not dwell on it.”
Fellow academy graduate Mason Mount got injured in the first half of the game and was replaced by Pedro Rodriguez.
But Abraham believes the Chelsea squad is full of characters who have helped him thus far and will continue to do so while reserving special praise for manager Frank Lampard.
“I have to give it (my personal form) to the manager and players,” he said. “I had a little situation against Liverpool where I missed a penalty myself and from there they just supported me and believed in me.
“I’m playing with such great players who create chances, so I just have to be in the right place at the right time. It’s always nice to know the manager believes in you. Every game you want to do your best for him.”