Super Frankie Lampard is arrowing in on Chelsea legend Kerry Dixon's goal-scoring feat with both goals as the Blues disptached Everton 2-1 at Goodison Park.
Lampard, 34, struck just before half-time with a perfect header after Steven Pienaar had given the home side the lead after just 63 seconds.
But the old warhorse, out of contract at the end of the season and with the club disinterested in keeping him, smacked home the winner from close range with 18 minutes of the game remaining.
The Blues got off to the worst possible start conceding a simple goal with two minutes.
Phil Jagielka, at right back, raced clear down the line behind Ashley Cole. He sent in a clipped byline ball which was met, full on the head by Victor Anichebe. The ball smacked off Petr Cech's right post and rebounded gleefully into the path of South African Steven Pienaar who, unmarked, drilled the ball home from six yards out.
The visitors we desperately unlucky on nine minutes when Lady Luck came to Cech as Nikica Jelavic's 20-yard free-kick bounced off the same post. This time, the ball was cleared to safety.
Gary Cahill spared the Blues blushes three minutes later clearing another gilt-edge chance for the home side.
As accurate as an atomic clock, as soon as the 16th minute turned, the cries of "One Di Matteo" rang out from the 2,500 travelling Chelsea fans.
It took until the 22nd minute before the Londoners had their first effort on goal, a wayward, high and over the crossbar effort by Ramires from 20 yards.
Everton really should have put the game to bed by the 25th minute, but only the agile finger-tip diving save to his right by Cech thwarted Leon Osman, fierce drive.
A minute later and Juan Mata saw his poked shot on goal from just inside the penalty area saved by Tim Howard after Ramires' characteristically long run went unchecked. The ball falling invitingly to the Spain midfielder. But Howard was alert enough to snaffle the effort.
Despite the gone sides dominance Chelsea were just a tap-in from equalising on 33 minutes when Cesar Azpilicueta's byline cross zipped across the six-yard line, with Fernando Torres and Cole both failing by inches to make contact with the ball.
Within seconds a quick counter-attack saw Pienaar turn David Luiz in midfield, pass to Jelavic on the left. The Croatian's daisy-cutter was goal-bound, but Cech forced the ball wide for a corner.
Chelsea' s second effort in target, came with seven minutes of the half remaining - a Frank Lampard long ranger, took a deflection and thus the sting ebbed out of the shot. Howard comfortably held the ball.
Lampard, out of contract at the end of the season just refuses to leave quietly. And it was he who levelled the scores on 42 minutes.
Torres wide in the right passed back to Ramires who sent in a curler of a pass to the six-yard area. In-running Lampard timed his run perfectly and planted the perfect header low and to wide to Howard's left and into he bottom former of the home side's net.
That was Lampard's 191st goal for the Blues, just two behind club legend Kerry Dixon and could still overhaul the club's all-time record goal scorer Bobby Tambling who has 202 strikes to name.
Ross Turnbull was the only half-time substitute for either side. The former Middlesbrough stopper replacing Cech who it's believed sustained an ankle injury.
It was only the 32nd appearance in the Premier League from the 27-year-old from Bishop Aukland in the North-East.
Torres had a great chance on 53 minutes to score after Luiz clipped the ball over the Everton rearguard but the striker failed to trap the ball and it fell nicely to Howard to scoop up.
He was offside a minute later when, had he curbed his enthusiasm, he could have been free to stroke the ball home.
He did better on 67 minutes, collecting the ball at the edge of the Everton penalty area and thumping the ball towards goal. Howard responded in kind by tipping the drive over his crossbar.
Turnbull made his first stop of the game, thwarting a low drive from Osman, but could do nothing about the glancing header from a diving Jelavic on 69 minutes.
Not for the first time, the woodwork saved the away side as the ball crashed off the crossbar with Turnbull grasping at thin air.
But with 18 minutes of the game left, up stepped Lampard to strike from close range after a Mata effort was saved by Howard. The ball fell straight to the in-form midfielder to put the Londoners ahead for the first time in the game.
Calls of 'sign him up' rang out for the Chelsea faithful in tribute to Lampard who they desperately want to see get a new contract.
Everton substitute Ross Barkley tried his luck from 25 yards out, but the ball did more damage to the seat in row z than Turnbull's goal.
Chelsea ran the clock down and n the end ran out winners, not comfortably, but winners nevertheless.
The Blues remain in third place with 38 points four points behind Manchester City with a game in hand. Leaders Manchester United remain in top spot with 49 points.
Next up for Chelsea is a home derby against Queens Park Rangers on January 2.
Teams: Everton: Howard, Jagielka, Baines, Heitinga, Distin, Naismith, Pienaar, Hitzlsperger, Osman, Jelavic, Anichebe
Subs: Mucha, Oviedo, Gueye, Barkley, Vellios, Duffy, Browning
Chelsea - Cech; Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Cahill, Cole; Luis, Lampard; Hazard, Ramires, Mata; Torres
Subs:
Referee Howard Webb