Frank Lampard provided a timely reminder of his value to Chelsea by scoring twice as his side reclaimed third place in the Premier League by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Everton yesterday.

The 34-year-old England midfielder, whose contract expires at the end of the season, cancelled out Steven Pienaar’s opener shortly before half-time and then claimed the winner with 18 minutes remaining at Goodison Park.

Victory moved Rafael Benitez’s side above Tottenham Hotspur into third place, four points behind second-place Manchester City and with a game in hand, while Everton remain sixth, three points below the top four.

“It was very hard. This is always one of the most difficult games of the season,” said Lampard.

“We got a (2-0) tanking here last year and we had to stand up for ourselves. We went 1-0 down but after half an hour, we started getting into the game.

“Once we got a foothold, we got a goal at a good time. It was always going to be very close and we did ride our luck at times.

“We have to keep believing this season – there is a long way to go. We can only win our games then rely on other things.”

Defeat prevented Everton from asserting their Champions League credentials, but they had started the game in menacing fashion and took the lead after just 63 seconds.

Victor Anichebe met stand-in right-back Phil Jagielka’s floated cross with a header that came back off the left-hand post and Pienaar charged in to spear the ball past Petr Cech, who was making his 400th Chelsea appearance.

Nikica Jelavic then hit the same portion of woodwork with a free-kick, before Lampard equalised in the 42nd minute when he met Ramires’s cross with a precisely directed downward header.

Chelsea lost Cech to an apparent ankle injury at half-time and his replacement, Ross Turnbull, was beaten by a Jelavic header in the 69th minute, only for the crossbar to come to his rescue.

The winning goal arrived three minutes later, Lampard nudging the ball into the roof of the net after Tim Howard saved from Juan Mata to give the Blues a fourth consecutive league win.

Everton’s best chance of an equaliser fell to Jelavic in injury time, but the Croatian striker got his legs in a tangle and could not make meaningful contact with Leighton Baines’ cross.

Everton coach David Moyes confronted referee Howard Webb at the final whistle but later revealed that he had said sorry for his behaviour.

“I thought it was a free-kick on Leon Osman on the edge of the box in the 92nd minute by Lampard and he didn’t give it,” said Moyes.

“But I’ve apologised to Howard Webb afterwards because I shouldn’t do that coming off the pitch.”

’Pool go ninth

In the final Premier League game of 2012, Liverpool comfortably overcame Queens Park Rangers 3-0 at Loftus Road to climb to ninth and leave Harry Redknapp’s side eight points from safety at the foot of the table.

All the goals arrived in the first half an hour, with Luis Suarez opening the scoring with a sinewy solo goal in the 10th minute before doubling his tally from close range six minutes later.

Daniel Agger headed in Liverpool’s third from a Steven Gerrard cross to cheer ailing manager Brendan Rodgers, who was told not to attend the game by the club’s medical staff after picking up a bug.

Summaries

Everton 1
Pienaar 2;
Chelsea 2
Lampard 42, 72;

HT: 1-1. Att: 39,485.

QPR 0
Liverpool 3
Suarez 10, 16; Agger 28;

HT: 0-3. Att: 18,304.

Standings

Next fixtures
Tomorrow: 13.45 West Bromwich Albion vs Fulham. 16.00 Manchester City vs Stoke City; Swansea City vs Aston Villa; Tottenham Hotspur vs Reading; West Ham United vs Norwich City; Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United. 18.30 Southampton vs Arsenal.
Wednesday: 20.45 Chelsea vs QPR; Liverpool vs Sunderland. 21.00 Newcastle vs Everton.