Manchester United and Chelsea cruise to victory

LONDON – Cristiano Ronaldo inspired Manchester United to a 4-1 rout of Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, but their Premier League lead was kept to six points after champions Chelsea beat Sheffield United 3-0.

Ronaldo made three goals in the first 25 minutes at Old Trafford, two for South Korea’s Park Ji-sung and one for Wayne Rooney, who added his second before Bolton’s Gary Speed converted a late penalty. The win, marred by an ankle injury that will rule out England defender Gary Neville for three weeks, moved United on to 75 points and a step closer to their first league title since 2003.Chelsea are second on 69 points after a comfortable victory following early goals from Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko and Ivorian Salomon Kalou.Germany captain Michael Ballack came off the bench to head the third in the 58th minute.West Ham United moved off the bottom with their first away win of the league season, a highly controversial 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.Blackburn led through Christopher Samba, West Ham levelled from the penalty spot with Argentina’s Carlos Tevez and Bobby Zamora claimed a 75th minute winner with a shot that struck Tevez who was standing on the goalline and bounced out.Manchester City got a morale-boosting 2-0 win at Middlesbrough, while Tottenham Hotspur beat relegation candidates Watford 3-1, including a goal by Spurs’ England keeper Paul Robinson with a free kick from his own half.There were 0-0 draws between Reading and Portsmouth, along with Wigan Athletic and Fulham.It was a bad day for England coach Steve McClaren, who not only lost Neville for England’s Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Andorra, but also stands to lose his understudy Micah Richards.The Manchester City defender is rated as doubtful after being forced off with a shin injury against Boro.Neville’s injury was the only cloud over an imperious performance by United – and Ronaldo in particular.His scintillating pace and close ball control took him to the very limit of the bye-line after 14 minutes before he picked out Park for a powerful sidefoot home.He linked up superbly with Rooney minutes later as the pair surged forward on the counter-attack, feeding the ball through for the England striker to dink over keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and claim his 50th goal for United.Bolton’s keeper could not hold a stinging Ronaldo shot shortly afterwards and Park was first to the loose ball, steering it into the gaping net.Ronaldo got a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd in the 70th minute when he was replaced by Alan Smith, who set up Rooney for his second of the afternoon.Paying tribute to Ronaldo, Ferguson told Sky Sports News: “His season has been incredible, you can’t put one game in front of another as far as I’m concerned because he’s given his all in every game.Nampa-ReutersThe win, marred by an ankle injury that will rule out England defender Gary Neville for three weeks, moved United on to 75 points and a step closer to their first league title since 2003.Chelsea are second on 69 points after a comfortable victory following early goals from Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko and Ivorian Salomon Kalou.Germany captain Michael Ballack came off the bench to head the third in the 58th minute.West Ham United moved off the bottom with their first away win of the league season, a highly controversial 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.Blackburn led through Christopher Samba, West Ham levelled from the penalty spot with Argentina’s Carlos Tevez and Bobby Zamora claimed a 75th minute winner with a shot that struck Tevez who was standing on the goalline and bounced out.Manchester City got a morale-boosting 2-0 win at Middlesbrough, while Tottenham Hotspur beat relegation candidates Watford 3-1, including a goal by Spurs’ England keeper Paul Robinson with a free kick from his own half.There were 0-0 draws between Reading and Portsmouth, along with Wigan Athletic and Fulham.It was a bad day for England coach Steve McClaren, who not only lost Neville for England’s Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Andorra, but also stands to lose his understudy Micah Richards.The Manchester City defender is rated as doubtful after being forced off with a shin injury against Boro.Neville’s injury was the only cloud over an imperious performance by United – and Ronaldo in particular.His scintillating pace and close ball control took him to the very limit of the bye-line after 14 minutes before he picked out Park for a powerful sidefoot home.He linked up superbly with Rooney minutes later as the pair surged forward on the counter-attack, feeding the ball through for the England striker to dink over keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and claim his 50th goal for United.Bolton’s keeper could not hold a stinging Ronaldo shot shortly afterwards and Park was first to the loose ball, steering it into the gaping net.Ronaldo got a standing ovation from the Old Trafford crowd in the 70th minute when he was replaced by Alan Smith, who set up Rooney for his second of the afternoon.Paying tribute to Ronaldo, Ferguson told Sky Sports News: “His season has been incredible, you can’t put one game in front of another as far as I’m concerned because he’s given his all in every game.Nampa-Reuters