Story highlights
Chelsea beat Everton 2-1 to go third in the English Premier League
Frank Lampard scores both goals in the win at Goodison
Lampard's future at Chelsea in doubt after 12 years with the EPL club
Luis Suarez double as Liverpool beat bottom club QPR 3-0
Frank Lampard underlined his continued value to Chelsea by scoring both goals in their 2-1 win at Everton Sunday as they went third in the English Premier League.
South African Steven Pienaar gave Everton a second minute lead but former England international Lampard turned the game around for the visitors.
The 34-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season and reports have been linking him with a move away from the west London giants, even as early as the January transfer window.
“I know there is a lot of speculation and talk but I just want to continue playing,” Lampard told Sky Sports after the match.
“I will always have Chelsea in me for life.”
During his 12 years at the club, Lampard’s goal tally from midfield has always proved a key factor in Chelsea’s success and his well-placed 42nd minute header canceled out Pienaar’s earlier opportunist effort.
Everton, who are challenging strongly for a Champions League berth, hit the woodwork three times in a fine match, but came unstuck late on.
Tim Howard saved from Juan Mata, but Lampard was in the right place to turn in the winner.
Sylvain Distin made a last-ditch saving tackle to deny Fernando Torres a third for Chelsea before Nikica Jelavic wasted a chance for Everton to equalize.
He shot straight at goalkeeper Ross Turnbull, a halftime replacement for Petr Cech, who has an injured ankle.
The victory lifted Chelsea above Tottenham Hotspur into third place in the standings, still 11 points behind leaders Manchester United, but with a game in hand.
In the later kickoff, Liverpool left Queens Park Rangers in deeper problems at the bottom of the table with a 3-0 win at Loftus Road.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers did not travel with the team after going down with an infectious virus but it was Harry Redknapp’s QPR who were left feeling under weather after a sorry performance.
Luis Suarez took advantage of defensive frailties to score twice in the opening 16 minutes, taking his EPL tally for the season to 13.
Danish defender Daniel Agger headed the third near the half hour mark and the game was effectively over as a contest.
Liverpool move up to ninth with QPR on 10 points from 20 games, eight points adrift of safety.