Tammy Abraham smashes Gabriel Batistuta record but Jose Mourinho issues fresh demand

Tammy Abraham has scored more goals in his debut season with Roma than any other player in the club's history after netting twice in Sunday's dominant 3-0 victory over Lazio.

The England striker, 24, scored a matter of seconds into the Derby della Capitale and added his second midway through the first half to keep Roma's slim chances of Champions League qualification alive, with Lorenzo Pellegrini grabbing the third. The Italian giants are eight points behind fourth-placed Juventus in the Serie A table with eight games remaining.

Abraham is the club's top scorer this season with 23 goals in 40 appearances having joined from Chelsea in a £34million transfer last summer. His double against Lazio - who are managed by former Blues boss Maurizio Sarri - pulled him clear of Stadio Olimpico icons Vincenzo Montella and Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 21 goals in their debut Roma seasons.

Former Italy international Montella's first season with the club came in the 1999/2000 campaign and Argentina hero Batistuta joined him the following term, helping Roma win the Serie A title. Abraham has surpassed the duo with many games to spare to justify Jose Mourinho 's decision to make him the most expensive English player to join an overseas club.

The legendary manager is an enormous fan of the Cobham graduate not only for his prolific rate of return in front of goal but also for his well-rounded contributions to the team. However, Mourinho is demanding Abraham maintains his level of performance throughout the run-in.

The Portuguese pointed to Abraham's performance in midweek - when he scored against Vitesse to send Roma through to the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League - to claim he must press the opposition more.

"When