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Tammy Abraham takes aim at next Aston Villa milestone

Hotshot Tammy Abraham has set sights on achieving another Villa milestone and claimed automatic promotion can still be won by Dean Smith’s men.

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The striker has scored 12 goals in 16 games after joining on loan from Chelsea and last month became the first Villa player since 1966 to net four in a single league match.

Abraham needs just eight more to become the first Villa player since Peter Withe in 1981 to hit 20 in a league campaign. And he said: “I think it’s a target. I’ve always said that I believe in myself and I believe in my ability to score goals. Hopefully I can reach that milestone.”

Villa currently sit 11 points adrift of the top two but Abraham believes the deficit can still be erased.

Asked if the gap was too big, he replied: “No, it’s not. The way we are playing at the moment, seven games unbeaten, we have to take this confidence forward.”

Boss Smith, meanwhile, shrugged off reports linking Premier League Crystal Palace with a possible January move for Abraham.

Chelsea do possess an option to recall the 21-year-old and send him elsewhere but Villa are, for now, relaxed about the situation.

Abraham is enjoying life at Villa Park, while Chelsea are also thought to be due a significant bonus should Villa win promotion.

Quizzed on the speculation, Smtih replied: “I’ve no idea about the contract situation if I am honest. All we can do is work with him, we have a good relationship with Chelsea.

“Eddie Newton [Chelsea’s loan technical coach] was up here over a month ago, looking and checking on Tammy’s development.

“He’s been developing with us all the time. He is enjoying his football and I think that is a big thing in the development of the young lad’s future.

“He wants to go and keep scoring goals for us and that’s what we are in control of at the moment.”