Lampard picks his spot to blow title race wide open

FRANK LAMPARD’S dramatic penalty winner against previously unbeaten Manchester City could prove to be one of the most significant kicks of an already dramatic season; after all it meant so much for his own career, for Chelsea’s season, his manager’s future and — perhaps even more importantly — for a title race that is now there for the taking.

Just when it seemed City were too good for the rest of the competition — there had even been talk of them matching Arsenal’s Invincibles by going the entire campaign unbeaten — Chelsea produced a result that re-invigorates their own campaign and turns a one-horse title race into a five-team chase for the championship.

City must have thought when they went 1-0 up through Mario Balotelli after only two minutes last night and dominated the opening half-hour that they were on an almost unstoppable roll; but a penalty that wasn’t given, a Raul Meireles equaliser, a second-half sending-off for Gael Clichy and Lampard’s late penalty completely changed the season of both teams and possibly of an entire league campaign.