League leaders Chelsea stayed five points clear of champions Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after the two front-runners in the title race fought to 1-1 stalemate at Stamford Bridge yesterday evening.

The goals came in a three-minute spell before half-time with Chelsea the first to strike after 42 minutes when Branislav Ivanovic crossed for Eden Hazard, whose low ball across goal found Loic Remy who side-footed it into the empty net.

City equalised three minutes later when Jesus Navas crossed into the area. Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois failed to clear properly, sending the ball to Sergio Aguero whose goalbound shot was turned in by David Silva.

Chelsea’s all-time record scorer Frank Lampard was given a warm reception by his old fans when he came on for City with 14 minutes remaining and although City finished the stronger side they could not find the winner.

Chelsea stay top with 53 points, followed by City on 48 with Manchester United third on 43.

Earlier, England striker Daniel Sturridge celebrated his return after a five-month injury lay-off when he came off the bench to score as Liverpool beat West Ham United 2-0.

Sturridge, who last played on August 31, came on in the 68th minute and found the net 12 minutes later to seal the points for Liverpool who climbed above West Ham into seventh spot in the table.

Raheem Sterling had given them the lead six minutes into the second half at Anfield.

“Sturridge just moved naturally into position, and we’ve missed that – that pace and that finishing. You’ve seen him there with 25 minutes and he could have had a couple of goals,” Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said.

“His first touch was brilliant and that’s what he can do. A great finish and it was nice for him to come back and get a goal.

“Sturridge is a top class player, he has shown that in his career so far. He worked very hard and the first opportunity that came his way he took it.”

Manchester United avenged their shock 5-3 defeat at Leicester City in September when they crushed Nigel Pearson’s bottom-of-the-table side 3-1 at Old Trafford to maintain their challenge for a top-four finish.

Tottenham Hotspur also kept up their push for a Champions League spot when they won 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion, who inflicted a surprise 1-0 defeat on Spurs at White Hart Lane.

United are third on 43, ahead of Southampton on 42, Spurs 40, Arsenal 39 and Liverpool 38.

Robin van Persie, Radamel Falcao and an own goal by Wes Morgan before half-time put United in command against Leicester who replied with a consolation from Marcin Wasilewski 10 minutes from the end.

Spurs were 2-0 up in 15 minutes at The Hawthorns thanks to goals from Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane, who added the third with a second-half penalty, his 20th goal of the season.

The only winners among the bottom eight clubs were Sunderland, who beat Burnley 2-0 thanks to goals from Connor Wickham and Jermain Defoe, who scored his first goal for his new club after 35 minutes.

There was no joy for any of the bottom four, with Leicester and Burnley losing along with Queens Park Rangers who went down 3-1 at Stoke City for whom Jonathan Walters scored a hat-trick.

Hull City lost 3-0 at home to Newcastle United and Everton won 1-0 at Crystal Palace.

Results and standings

Premier League

Chelsea 1
Remy 42;
Man. City 1
Silva 45;

HT: 1-1. Att: 41,620.

Crystal Palace 0
Everton 1
Lukaku 2;

HT: 0-1. Att: 25,197.

Hull City 0
Newcastle 3
Cabella 40; Ameobi 50; Gouffran 78;

HT: 0-1. Att: 23,925.

Liverpool 2
Sterling 51; Sturridge 80;
West Ham 0

HT: 0-0. Att: 44,718,

Man. United 3
Van Persie 27; Falcao 32; Morgan 44 og;
Leicester City 1
Wasilewski 80;

HT: 3-0. Att: 75,329.

Stoke City 3
Walters 21, 34, 90;
QPR 1
Kranjcar 36;

HT: 2-1. Att: 27,512.

Sunderland 2
Wickham 20; Defoe 35;
Burnley 0

HT: 2-0. Att: 44,022.

West Brom 0
Tottenham 3
Eriksen 7; Kane 15, 64 pen;

HT: 0-2. Att: 25,000.

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Chelsea	23	16	5	2	52	20	53
Man. City	23	14	6	3	46	23	48
Man. United	23	12	7	4	39	22	43
S’thampton	22	13	3	6	37	16	42
Tottenham	23	12	4	7	35	30	40
Arsenal	22	11	6	5	39	25	39
Liverpool	23	11	5	7	33	27	38
West Ham	23	10	6	7	35	27	36
Stoke City	23	9	5	9	26	28	32
Swansea	22	8	6	8	26	30	30
Newcastle	23	8	6	9	29	35	30
Everton	23	6	8	9	31	34	26
C. Palace	23	5	8	10	25	34	23
Sunderland	23	4	11	8	21	33	23
West Brom	23	5	7	11	20	32	22
Aston Villa	22	5	7	10	11	25	22
Burnley	23	4	8	11	21	38	20
Hull City	23	4	7	12	20	33	19
QPR	23	5	4	14	24	42	19
Leicester	23	4	5	14	21	37	17

Playing today
Arsenal vs Aston Villa - 14:30
Southampton vs Swansea - 17:00

Top scorers
17 goals: Costa (Chelsea)
14 goals: Aguero (Man. City)
13 goals: Austin (QPR)
12 goals: Sanchez (Arsenal)
10 goals: Kane (Tottenham)

Next fixtures

Tuesday: FA Cup fourth round replays 20.45 Fulham vs Sunderland; Manchester United vs Cambridge; Sheffield United vs Preston.

Wednesday: FA Cup fourth round replay 20.45 Bolton Wanderers vs Liverpool.

Saturday: Premier League 13.45 Tottenham Hotspur vs Arsenal. 16.00 Aston Villa vs Chelsea; Leicester City vs Crystal Palace; Manchester City vs Hull City; Queens Park Rangers vs Southampton; Swansea City vs Sunderland. 18.30 Everton vs Liverpool.

Sunday: 13.00 Burnley vs West Brom. 15.05 Newcastle vs Stoke. 17.15 West Ham vs Manchester United.

The Championship
Birmingham 0 - Norwich City 0
Blackburn 2 - Fulham 1
Blackpool 1 - Brighton 0
Bolton 2 - Wolves 2
Brentford 0 - M’boro 1
Cardiff City 0 - Derby County 2
Charlton 1 - Rotherham 1
Huddersfield 1 - Leeds United 2
Ipswich Town 0 - Wigan 0
Nottm Forest 0 - Millwall 1
Reading 2 - Sheffield Wed. 0

Standings: Bournemouth, Derby County 54; Middlesbrough 53; Ipswich Town 51; Brentford 49; Watford 47; Wolves 45; Norwich City 44; Blackburn Rovers 39; Sheffield Wednesday 38; Birmingham City 37; Nottingham Forest, Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Reading, Huddersfield Town 34; Charlton 33; Leeds United 32; Rotherham 30; Brighton 29; Millwall 27; Wigan 22; Blackpool 20.

League One
Barnsley 2 - Port Vale 1
Bradford City 1 - Colchester 1
Chesterfield 2 - Doncaster 2
Coventry City 2 - Rochdale 2
Crawley Town 2 - Preston NE1
Crewe 0 - MK Dons 5
Leyton Orient 1 - Scunthorpe 4
Oldham 3 - Notts County 0
Peterborough 1 - Yeovil 0
Sheffield Utd 2 - Swindon 0

Playing today
Bristol City vs Fleetwood - 16:00
Walsall vs Gillingham - 19:00

Standings: MK Dons 55; Swindon, Bristol City 54; Preston 47; Chesterfield, Sheffield Utd 39; Rochdale 38; Bradford, Fleetwood, Oldham, Peterborough 37; Doncaster 36; N. County, Port Vale 35; Walsall, Scunthorpe 33; Barnsley 32; Gillingham, Coventry 31; Crewe 29; Colchester 28; Crawley 27; L. Orient 26; Yeovil 25.

League Two
Accrington 1 - Northampton 5
Burton 1 - Bury 0
Carlisle 2 - Mansfield 1
Dagenham 3 - Cheltenham 1
Exeter City 1 - Tranmere 2
Hartlepool 3 - Plymouth 2
Luton 3 - Cambridge 2
Morecambe 1 - Wimbledon 1
Newport 0 - Shrewsbury1
Southend 1 - York City 0
Stevenage 0 - Oxford United 2
Wycombe 0 - Portsmouth 0

Standings: Shrewsbury, Burton 54; Wycombe 53; Luton, Southend 50; Newport 46; Bury 44; Stevenage, Exeter City 41; Plymouth 40; Morecambe 38; Northampton, Wimbledon 37; Cambridge 36; Oxford, Accrington Stanley 33; Tranmere, Ports-mouth, Dagenham, Carlisle, Cheltenham 30; York City, Mansfield Town 28; Hartlepool United 21.