KEY POINTS:
LONDON - Leaders Manchester United stayed three points clear in the English premier soccer league by beating Everton 3-0 while Michael Ballack steered champions Chelsea to a 1-0 win at Bolton Wanderers today.
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo gave United a first-half lead before goals from defender Patrice Evra
and midfielder John O'Shea after the break put the game beyond Everton's reach at Old Trafford.
Germany midfielder Ballack headed Chelsea's winner in first-half stoppage time at the Reebok stadium where they won the 2005 league title.
Fulham caused the upset of the night with a 2-1 home victory over an Arsenal side who finished with 10 men, Liverpool were held 0-0 by Portsmouth at Anfield and Manchester City were 3-1 winners at Aston Villa.
The title race now appears to be a two-horse race.
United, who drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea on Sunday, have 38 points from 15 games while Jose Mourinho's side are second on 35. Rank outsiders Portsmouth and Bolton follow on 24.
United, who last won the league in 2003, looked comfortable in a game where the captaincies of the two sides were kept in the Neville family.
Gary was skipper of United and brother Phil wore the armband for Everton against his old club.
Manager Alex Ferguson was well-satisfied with United's return to winning ways.
"After dropping two points on Sunday (Monday NZT) this was an important game for us. It's a good result," he said.
It also proved to be valuable insurance as Chelsea made it four points from six in their extended stay in the north west.
Bolton put up a fight but were caught out by a Frank Lampard corner, with Ballack rising at the near post to score with a glancing header.
"To come to Manchester and Bolton and go home with the same distance (from United) is very positive for us," said Mourinho.
"We're not top of the league, as we want to be all the time, but they were two very difficult matches. If you do it wrong you could leave Old Trafford six points behind and the Reebok nine.
"I don't think we will take a lot of time to be top of the league.
"You have to fight for every ball when they dominate the game as they did in the second half and I think we fought like heroes."
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce said: "Our finishing has let us down ... on the second half performance, we are disappointed we haven't nicked a point off Chelsea."
Villa are fifth on 23 points after their first home defeat of the season, at the expense of City's first away win, while Arsenal are sixth with a game in hand on 22 points.
Four days after losing 3-1 at Bolton, Arsenal's title ambitions look over after Fulham accelerated into a 2-0 lead inside 20 minutes through American forward Brian McBride and Canadian Tomasz Radzinski.
Though Arsenal pulled a goal back with a stunning free kick from Robin van Persie, their chances of a comeback suffered a bodyblow when Swiss defender Philippe Senderos was red-carded in the 66th minute.
Liverpool missed a chance to move up the table and are seventh, level on points with Arsenal.
- REUTERS
