Lampard: Title race 'good for football'

Frank Lampard believes competition for Chelsea at the top of the Premiership is healthy for English football.

Chelsea cruised to the title in the last two seasons but have now been challenged at the summit by Manchester United, who are three points ahead at the top of the table with five games remaining.

The duel has captured the imagination of the public, with United the first team to mount a serious challenge to Chelsea since Jose Mourinho took over as boss at Stamford Bridge.

"We've won the league pretty comfortably for the last two years and this year Manchester United have upped it so it's been a bit different," said Lampard, the 28-year-old England international.

"It's been a much closer race and I think it's probably not a bad thing for English football because everyone likes to see a good battle to the end."

Cristiano Ronaldo has led the United challenge, while Didier Drogba has kept Chelsea in the hunt for the quadruple with his 31 goals.

Lampard believes both would be worthy winners of the PFA Player of the Year award.

"I think they are both well deserved if they win it," he said on his video diary on orange.co.uk.

"I think Ronaldo's ability on the ball is amazing and, the way he's played this season, he's been one of the best players in the Premier League and probably in the world.

"It's great to see a player with skills who can excite so much."

He added: "Didier's goals record has been so prolific. He's scored crucial goals, he's scored the easy goals, the little tap-ins, he's scored great goals that have won us games.

"He's been the best striker in the world this season and that's a massive achievement."