Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard [Images] equalled the record for consecutive Premier League appearances when he played his 159th game on Saturday, at home to Newcastle United.

Leaders Chelsea got back to winning ways with a 3-0 defeat of Newcastle United while Manchester United [Images] began life without Roy Keane by beating Charlton Athletic 3-1 at the Valley.

Joe Cole, Hernan Crespo [Images] and Damien Duff returned Chelsea to the winners' circle after their defeat by Manchester United two weeks' ago. They were all on target in the second half to stretch the champions' lead to nine points.

United responded to the sudden exit of skipper Keane on Friday with an impressive victory at Charlton to move up to third, 10 points behind Chelsea with a game in hand.

Alan Smith put the visitors ahead in the first half with his first goal since May and Ruud Van Nistelrooy [Images] scored a late double after Darren Ambrose had equalised for Charlton.

European champions Liverpool cruised to a 3-0 victory over struggling Portsmouth at Anfield, Sunderland stayed bottom after a 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa and Manchester City were held 0-0 at home by Blackburn Rovers.

27-year-old Lampard drew level with Manchester City goalkeeper David James at the top of the list, with Shay Given, in goal for Newcastle at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, third on 140 appearances in a row.

Lampard stepped on the pitch on a cold day in west London [Images] to a huge ovation from a sell-out crowd, looking for a win to keep the champions in charge at the top of the table after their first defeat in more than a year two weeks ago at Manchester United.

The outfield player who comes closest to Lampard's appearance tally is his team mate, defender Wayne Bridge, who made 113 appearances for Southampton between March 2000 and January 2003.

Lampard, an England [Images] regular who was voted player of the year by football writers last season, began his run on Oct. 13, 2001 shortly after joining Chelsea, and has played every Premier League game since.

After breaking a leg at 18 and suffering a few injuries at West Ham United the season before he joined Chelsea, Lampard has stayed remarkably injury free. He saved an operation on his toe until the season ended last May.

"It has something to do with fitness," he said in an interview in Saturday's match programme. "Part of it is luck and part of it is being a bit clever, not flying into tackles that are silly and you can't win and not pulling out of tackles."

Lampard helped Chelsea to their first title for 50 years last season and was top scorer for the club, surpassing Chelsea's clutch of expensive strikers.

He is also top scorer so far this season for both his club and in the Premier League with 10 goals.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has described his player as the best midfielder in the world and Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson has said he is a "freak" because of his outstanding staying power.

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