Sport - Football

Lampard spot on for Chelsea

LONDON: Frank Lampard was back to his best with a double strike as Chelsea won 2-0 at Fulham on Saturday. The midfielder scored twice in the final 17 minutes to put Jose Mourinho's side top of the Premiership. Lampard had handed over the task of taking Chelsea's penalties to Michael Ballack after missing from the spot against Charlton earlier this season.

But, with the German midfielder suspended, Lampard resumed his spot-kick duties to break the deadlock against Fulham in the 73rd minute. He sealed Chelsea's fifth league win in six matches with an 80th minute strike.

Manchester United wasted a chance to replace Chelsea at the top of the table after it was held to a 1-1 draw at Reading in Saturday's late match.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson made five changes to the team beaten by Arsenal last weekend, with fit-again Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze restored to the starting line-up for the first time in more than a year.

The results: English Premier League: Arsenal 3 bt Sheffield United 0; Aston Villa 2 bt Charlton 0; Fulham 0 lost to Chelsea 2; Manchester City 2 bt West Ham 0; Middlesbrough 0 lost to Blackburn 1; Reading 1 drew with Manchester United 1; Wigan 1 drew with Watford 1.

Spanish La Liga: Real Betis 0 lost to Real Madrid 1.

Italian Serie A: Catania 2 drew with Messina 2; Livorno 0 drew with AC Milan 0. — Agencies

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