Premier League Results: Chelsea up to third after Lampard brace

Lampard wonders why he still hasn't been offered a new contract

Chelsea record a tremendous victory at in-form Everton, and Liverpool hammer bottom-of-the-table QPR at Loftus Road in the final game of 2012. Mike Norman details the In-Play odds...

Chelsea regained third position in the table and are in to 8.88/1 to win the Premier League title after a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Goodison Park this afternoon.

It wasn't at all straightforward for Rafa Benitez' men however as the Blues found themselves a goal down inside 65 seconds when a Victor Anichebe header rebounded off the post in to the path of Steven Pienaar who fired home from 12 yards.

Everton looked dominant in the early stages but failed to get that crucial second goal, and they were made to pay as half time approached. Fernando Torres got free down the right, played in Ramires who supplied a pinpoint cross for Frank Lampard to plant home a header.

The 1-1 Half Time Score was matched at a high of 11.010/1 In-Play, whilst Pienaar was backed at 25.024/1 in the First Goalscorer market.

In a well-contested second half it was Chelsea that got the winning goal through that man Lampard. A Juan Mata shot was saved by Tim Howard but the ball eventually fell to the England midfielder who prodded home from close range to secure the points for the away side, as well as fire a warning to the Chelsea hierarchy who are still to offer Lampard a new contract.

The Blues were matched at a high of 6.611/2 to win the game when they trailed in the early stages whilst man-of-the-match Lampard was backed at 28.027/1 to score two goals or more.

In the later game Liverpool thrashed QPR 3-0 to leave the London club deep in relegation trouble.

The Reds - who were without flu-ridden manager Brendan Rodgers for the day - were two goals up inside quarter of an hour thanks to the brilliance of Luis Suarez, and when Daniel Agger made it 3-0 after 28 minutes the game was as good as over.

Liverpool could have had five or six in the first period, but they were happy with three, and although QPR put up a spirited second half performance the result was never in doubt.

Suarez was matched at 6.411/2 in the First Goalscorer market whilst the 0-3 Correct Score was matched at 25.024/1 In-Play.

QPR stay rooted to the bottom of the table after Reading's victory yesterday and Harry Redknapp's men are now available to back at just 1.292/7 in the Relegation market.