Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has called on his team-mates to maintain their high standards as they prepare to lock horns with Liverpool.

Both sides go into Sunday's showdown at Stamford Bridge, live on Sky Sports 1 and HD 1, level on points after making unbeaten starts to the campaign.

Lampard is happy with Chelsea's current form and he knows the importance of winning against one of their rivals for the title.

"We are at the top of the league along with Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal are both very close and really it is a great start for us, but it is important we don't get carried away," Lampard told Sky Sports News.

"Big games coming up none more so than Liverpool at the weekend and we need to keep performing with the same quality and attitude as we are.

"We are both level pegging at the top and the season is starting to take a bit of shape with the big four as they say up there and fighting for it.

Important

"Every season these games will always be so important as we see with the records, as normally the team that wins most of these out of the big four pretty much wins the league and hopefully we can start that on Sunday."

Chelsea have impressed in their last two league outings against Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, either side of the international break, and Lampard feels their performances are similar to those of the 2004/05 season when the Blues first won the Premier League title.

"Middlesbrough and Aston Villa I think have been two of the top performances I have played in for a while and I think there are memories a little bit back to the first year we won the league," continued Lampard.

"We had a patch in the season where we were winning games very well, playing very flowing football and at the moment I feel like we are doing that.

"But it is very important we keep up our standards and don't let them drop."

Stronger

Lampard is expecting Liverpool to pose a bigger threat in the race for the title this season as he believes Rafa Benitez's side are a stronger and more resilient squad this year.

"They have added again and I think they are getting stronger and more resilient and I think every year that goes by when Liverpool don't win the league, for such a big club as they are, they get more desire to try and win it again," noted Lampard.

"They have got very good players and they have got obviously extra strike-force than what they had last year with Robbie Keane coming in, Riera on the left wing.

"New players have come in and added to an already strong squad so they are going to be right up there I think."