The Blues have recorded 11 successive wins in the top flight to sit six points clear at the top of the table, and Lampard says that everyone at the club deserves huge credit for turning their fortunes around after back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal.
The 38-year-old told Sky Sports News: “All credit to everyone there and the manager. Obviously they changed the system after the defeat to Arsenal and no-one would have fancied them to be winning the league and now they look the dominant team.
“I can’t see anyone that has got the consistency and quality to close the gap so I fancy Chelsea strongly.”
Lampard, Chelsea’s record goal scorer, believes Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal can all challenge, but expects his former club to hold them off.
“[Man] City are in a decent position,” Lampard said. “And there are teams with quality for sure — City, I think Liverpool are very good to watch this year, and Arsenal.
“I think those will be the group chasing but with Chelsea, when you take that kind of a gap into Christmas, I think barring suspensions or injuries to top players like [Eden] Hazard and [Diego] Costa, I fancy them to carry it through.”
Lampard scored 211 goals in 648 appearances during his 13-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
