LONDON (Reuters):
CHAMPIONS CHELSEA hit the top of the table for the first time this season when a second-half Frank Lampard double earned them a 2-0 victory at local rivals Fulham in the Premier League yesterday.
England midfielder Lampard, criticised for his performances at the World Cup, took his season's tally to four with a 73rd-minute penalty and right-foot finish seven minutes later.
Manchester United failed to join Chelsea at the top when they were held 1-1 at Reading in the evening game - Cristiano Ronaldo rescuing a point for the Reds with a stunning strike.
Home wins
Liverpool and Arsenal, both on the up after poor starts, enjoyed emphatic 3-0 home wins.
Dutchman Dirk Kuyt struck his second goal in four days at Anfield as Liverpool brushed Tottenham Hotspur aside in a rampant second half.
Chile winger Mark Gonzalez opened the scoring and John Arne Riise's thunderbolt condemned Spurs to their fourth defeat in six league matches.
Arsenal's wait for a first league win at their new Emirates Stadium ended with victory over Sheffield United as French duo William Gallas and Thierry Henry were both on target.
Martin O'Neill's much-improved Aston Villa climbed to fourth
place with a 2-0 home victory
over Charlton Athletic, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Luke Moore scoring the goals at Villa Park.
Superiority rewarded
Arjen Robben struck the underside of the bar for Chelsea in the first half, but they had to wait until the 63rd minute for their superiority to be rewarded when Liam Rosenoir handled in the box and Lampard dispatched the penalty.
Lampard then made the game safe after being set up by Didier Drogba's pass.
"We clearly deserved the three points," Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports, picking out Lampard for special praise. "He needs to know he is one of the best players in the world and he needs to know always," added the Portuguese.
Chelsea's fourth straight win takes them to 15 points from six matches, two ahead of surprise early pacesetters Portsmouth, who host Bolton Wanderers tomorrow, and Manchester United.
