Chelsea were left four points clear at the top of the English Premier League table after a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to London rivals West Ham on Sunday.
Former Hammers midfielder Frank Lampard kept his nerve to draw Chelsea level from the penalty spot in the 61st minute, three time having to strike the spot-kick after referee Mike Dean twice ordered a retake for encroachment. The penalty award was controversial in itself, with Hammers captain Matthew Upson adamant he had played the ball before bringing down Chelsea substitute Daniel Sturridge.
West Ham, managed by former Chelsea hero Gianfranco Zola, would have gone bottom if they had lost.
They went ahead at Upton Park when Alessandro Diamanti scored from the penalty spot after Ashley Cole had fouled Jack Collison.
The result saw Chelsea pull away from second-placed reigning champions Manchester United, who lost some ground in the title race with a 3-0 defeat at Fulham on Saturday.
“We played for only 45 minutes and in 45 minutes we were able to a draw,” Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti said. “In the first half we played without intensity, slow, we didn’t move the ball quickly in midfield and West Ham put a lot of pressure on our midfield.”
West Ham remain beset by financial uncertainty, but Zola said: “It’s not easy but I am sure all these things will make me stronger and better.”
In Sunday’s other matches, Wolves climbed out of the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at home to Burnley, while Birmingham’s five-match winning streak in the top flight ended with a 1-1 draw away to Everton.
Goals from Nenad Milijas and Kevin Doyle ensured Wolves finished a controversial week in style by moving up six places in the table.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy had been widely criticized for his line-up during a 3-0 away defeat by champions Manchester United on Tuesday.
At Old Trafford, McCarthy had changed all 10 outfield players from the side that beat Tottenham the previous weekend, with US goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann the only survivor.
McCarthy ended up with the outcome he wanted as Wolves heaped yet more away-day misery on Burnley.
“Did the win justify my midweek team selection? I’m not looking for it at all, justification or vindication,” McCarthy said.
“We’ve had nine points out of 12 since the Birmingham game and people who were here when we played Birmingham would never have thought that. It is about all the games, not just about today,” he said.
West Ham’s draw meant Pompey remained bottom of the table.
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