Chelsea back on top of EPL with 2-1 win over Portsmouth

Chelsea reclaimed their three-point lead at the top of the EPL table after a hard-earned 2-1 win over Portsmouth last night.

Chelsea's Frank Lampard celebrates his goal against Portsmouth

Nicolas Anelka's first-half strike and a second-half penalty from Frank Lampard secured the first win in five matches for Carlo Ancelotti's side and ensured it was an unhappy return to Stamford Bridge for former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, now the manager of Portsmouth.

Chelsea went ahead in the 23rd-minute with an Anelka strike. But within six minutes of the restart, Portsmouth were equal. Frederic Piquionne fired home from 10 yards after Jamie O'Hara's free-kick had ricocheted through the wall and into the path of the Pompey striker.

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Chelsea did not look like re-establishing their lead but then Mark Wilson pulled down Branislav Ivanovic in the area and Lampard thumped in the penalty with 11 minutes left.

Gunners held
Meanwhile, Arsenal's hopes of catching the leaders suffered a setback when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Burnley. Arsenal had threatened to overrun Burnley in the opening stages at Turf Moor with Andrey Arshavin hitting the post after Cesc Fabregas had given the Gunners a 7th-minute lead. But Burnley got back on level terms just before the half hour mark, Graham Alexander converting a penalty after Andre Bikey was pulled down by Thomas Vermaelen.

Man City beaten
Manchester City were in for a shock against Tottenham, who claimed an emphatic 3-0 win at White Hart Lane.

Kranjcar fired Tottenham into a first-half lead after a Peter Crouch header was blocked. Jermain Defoe's 14th goal of the season then made the points safe after the interval with the striker running on to a Crouch flick-on and Kranjcar claimed his second in stoppage time.

Liverpool win
Liverpool bounced back from their weekend loss to Arsenal by defeating Wigan 2-1 at Anfield. David Ngog and Fernando Torres were on target for the Kops.