Cristiano Ronaldo again proved the difference as Manchester United
hung on for a 3-2 home win over 10-man Reading.
The Portuguese winger struck twice in the second half to send
United six points clear heading into 2007 after Chelsea's 2-2 home
draw with Fulham.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer headed United into the lead before poor
goalkeeping from Edwin van der Sar allowed Ibrahima Sonko to nod
Reading level.
Either side of Ronaldo's double, substitute Sam Sodje was sent off
for Reading before Leroy Lita set up a tense climax with a cool
finish in the last minute.
Reading stuck with the XI which held Chelsea to a draw on Boxing
Day, with lone striker Lita giving Mikael Silvestre some
uncomfortable moments in the first half.
The in-form Ronaldo had the first chance of the game when sent
clear by Wes Brown, but selfishly shot straight at Marcus Hahnemann
from an angle.
Lita turned Silvestre with ease before slashing a shot wide, while
Glen Little scuffed an effort off target after penetrative work by
Kevin Doyle down the left.
United controlled possession, but Reading decamped to the central
portions of the field to restrict the Premiership leaders' sights
at goal.
Wayne Rooney could not get a clean contact on one volley and also
headed meekly at Hahnemann from Rio Ferdinand's ball into the
box.
In between, Hahnemann spilled Ronaldo's header from a corner and
Reading skipper Graeme Murty, along with his keeper, reacted
quickly to block Solskjaer's shot on the rebound.
Solskjaer was not to be denied on 33 minutes as he took advantage
of slack defending from Sonko to dart across the line and head
Ronaldo's inviting cross beyond Hahnemann.
Sonko was quick to make up for his dozy defending by heading
Reading level five minutes later. Nicky Shorey curled in a
dangerous, deep free-kick and the Senegal centre-half glanced it
past Van der Sar, who arrived too late with his punch.
United could easily have been back in front inside a minute as
Ronaldo headed a Michael Carrick corner against the crossbar.
Ryan Giggs came on for Park Ji-sung at half-time and United started
to enjoy even greater dominance of the game, with Hahnemann saving
Solskjaer's header at point-blank range.
Rooney then shot over the bar after slipping on impact with the
ball and minutes later curled another attempt over the bar after
being released by Ronaldo.
The Portuguese winger was once more the stand-out performer for
United and another teasing cross was flicked into the side-netting
by Giggs.
Just before the hour and United reclaimed the lead after a slick
passing move involving Giggs and Rooney found Solskjaer on the
corner of the box.
The Norwegian nudged the ball past Sonko before seeing his precise
shot come back off the post to Ronaldo, who scuffed home the
rebound.
Reading were then given a mountain to climb when Sodje, having only
been introduced as a substitute 10 minutes earlier, picked up a
second yellow card on 69 minutes for tugging back Rooney.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, the visitors did have a chance to
equalise when Steve Sidwell burst into the box to meet Shorey's
cross, but his near-post header was off target.
For the third game in a row, Ronaldo finished the game with a brace
as he side-footed home United's third on 77 minutes after being
found unmarked at the back post by Giggs' cross.
Ronaldo was swiftly replaced, along with Rooney, but the threat did
not subside as Hahnemann produced a smart save from Carrick's
well-struck effort, and Darren Fletcher and Giggs both had chances
to put the game to bed.
But Reading grasped a lifeline in the final minute as Lita
capitalised on poor defending from Silvestre to slip the ball
through Van der Sar's legs, and though they piled on the pressure
to the final whistle, were unable to muster a dramatic
equaliser.
