Thomas Tuchel hailed “crucial” Tammy Abraham after the England striker netted the only goal in Chelsea’s nervy 1-0 FA Cup win over Barnsley.
Speaking after the game at his post-match press conference,
Thomas Tuchel said: “Clearly yes [he was decisive]. With his goal, you can’t leave out the pass from Billy and the run from Reece. It was a very nice goal and Tammy was on the end of a good combination. Tammy scores decisive goals in cup games and this was another. The stop on the line was crucial for us.”
Abraham prevented Michael Sollbauer’s late header from going over the line as the Tykes pushed for an equaliser late on. He revealed that he was previously a defender as a very young player before moving further forward.
Tammy Abraham said: “I grew up a defender so instinctive reactions, in the right place, I knew I had to try something. It’s a 1-0 win, we will take that.
The Championship side were more than a match for their Premier League counterparts, who really struggled to get anything going for the most part before Abraham tapped home a 64th-minute winner to set up a tie with Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge in the quarter-finals next month. Abraham, who had played just 51 minutes for Tuchel since the German replaced Frank Lampard at the helm, took his chance in Yorkshire on a night when others didn’t as the Blues struggled on a poor pitch and having made ten changes from the side that won in the league at the weekend.
