Lampard at the double

Frank Lampard’s first-half double nudged Chelsea back towards the top of the Barclays Premier League table in a hard-fought clash with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti sprung a surprise by leaving Didier Drogba on the bench but Lampard calmed nerves in the 15th minute when he swept home his 18th goal of the season.

Villa struck back when John Carew converted Ashley Young’s cross in the 29th minute but Lampard netted his second from the spot just before the break after James Collins brought down Yury Zhirkov.

Title rivals Arsenal were finding the going tougher against Birmingham at St Andrew’s.

Arsene Wenger’s men had the best chance when Theo Walcott was closed down in the box by Blues goalkeeper Joe Hart, but were unable to find a breakthrough.

Tottenham’s push for fourth place showed no signs of slowing as goals from two former Portsmouth players, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar, put them 2-0 up against Avram Grant’s doomed side.

Harry Redknapp’s men did not have it all their own way, with goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes forced into action in the 18th minute to deny Anthony Vanden Borre after his neat one-two into the box.

Crouch headed the opener on 29 minutes before Michael Dawson went close from long-range and both Crouch and Tom Huddlestone hit the woodwork. Kranjcar converted a Kyle Walker cross for the second on 40 minutes.

Iain Dowie’s first home game in charge of Hull was shaping into a successful one as Jimmy Bullard’s 16th-minute penalty against his former club was the only goal of the first period.

Bullard kept his nerve from the spot after Chris Smalling pulled down John Altidore. Fulham pressed for an equaliser and Zoltan Gera had two shots cleared off the line by George Boateng and Steven Mouyokolo.

Mido missed a sitter for West Ham as their first half against Stoke at Upton Park finished goalless, while Marcus Hahnemann’s fine save from Leon Osman also kept Wolves and Everton level at Molineux.