Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata backed to score 20 goals a season by Carlo Cudicini

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Vaishali Bhardwaj5 January 2019

Alvaro Morata has been backed to score 20 goals a season by Carlo Cudicini after the striker netted twice in Chelsea's FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Morata started the third-round tie at Stamford Bridge, as well as Chelsea's midweek goalless draw against Southampton, in part as a result of Olivier Giroud's ankle injury and the need to give Eden Hazard a rest.

Morata last scored for Chelsea in the Europa League back in late November but, after a difficult first 45 minutes against Forest on Saturday, the 26-year-old netted either side of a glaring miss from a few yards out.

Cudicini conducted Chelsea's post-match press conference instead of Maurizio Sarri and Gianfranco Zola, and admitted he hopes Morata's brace will "free" him mentally in the second half of the campaign.

"I think he played an important part of the performance. He had a very good performance in terms of working for the team, offensively and defensively," Cudicini said.

"It was very important for him to score two goals, that can only be good for his confidence. We are all very happy about his performance, but we were even when he didn’t score in previous games.

"He did a good thing today. Hopefully for his morale as well that he scored and maybe now he will be more free in his mind."

Zola had said before the match that Morata must improve tactically and handle the pressure of playing for Chelsea better to succeed at the club.

Despite scoring twice on Saturday, the striker was brought off in the 75th minute as Sarri sent on Cesar Azpilicueta in a bid to free Hazard up from his defensive work.

Morata looked glum as he headed straight down the tunnel following his substitution, but Cudicini said: "I think Gianfranco mentioned before the match that for a striker it is difficult when you go through a spell when you don’t score many goals. So his body language was a bit down.

At the double: Alvaro Morata scored both goals in Chelsea's Cup win over Nottingham Forest
REUTERS

"He is very working hard in training and we knew that sooner or later he could turn a corner and score goals. Thankfully he did it today. We care about this competition and want to do well.

"I am sure [Morata can score 20 goals a season]. He has the possibility to do that. He is a great striker, he has great qualities and now that his confidence is back I am sure he can score goals for us."

"Everyone is different. Some players can be more affected by the critics they receive. As I said for us the most important thing he is training hard, he wants to improve, the performance on top of the goals was very important that he did a fantastic job for the team, that is what we are concerned by."

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