Man United extend lead

London, April 28:

Manchester United moved five points clear in the Premier League title race after a 4-2 win over Everton on Saturday as Chelsea drew 2-2 with Bolton.

Wayne Rooney put United ahead in the 79th minute when he latched on to a cross from John O’Shea, beat Tony Hibbert and side-footed past Everton goalkeeper Iain Turner.

Everton had 2-0 lead, but a goal by O’Shea and an own-goal by former United defender Phil Neville had drawn the Red Devils level. United reserve Chris Eagles scored a late goal. United has 85 points, followed by Chelsea with 80.

Ferguson had left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench with the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals at AC Milan on Wednesday — and he may have been regretting it after 12 minutes.

Everton’s Alan Stubbs struck a free kick which was deflected into the goal by United’s Michael Carrick to put his team up 1-0. Manuel Fernandes extended Everton’s lead in the 50th.

O’Shea led United’s fightback in the 61st, scoring from close range. Turner was partially at fault for United’s 68th-minute equalizer. His feet could only block a header by Ronaldo from Carrick’s corner, and Neville, steered the ball into the back of the net. Then Rooney put United ahead 11 minutes later. In injury time, Rooney passed to Eagles and he curled the ball inside the far post.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho put Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Didier Drogba on the bench with Tuesday’s Champions League return leg at Liverpool in mind.

The Blues fell behind in the 19th minute when Lubomir Michalik scored. The central defender scored after Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou had failed to clear the ball from Andranik Teymourian’s free kick.

Three minutes later, Kalou scored with a glancing header. Jaaskelainen produced a fine save to deny Shevchenko in the 31st, but the Finnish goalkeeper was at fault for Chelsea’s second goal in the 34th minute. Kalou headed in against the crossbar from a corner.

Lampard was brought on in the 29th to replace defender Ricardo Carvalho, who injured his knee and was later ruled out of playing in the Champions League.

Bolton struck back in the 54th when a free kick from Tal was floated into the box. With Chelsea goalie Petr Cech stranded, Kevin Davis nodded home. Drogba, who came off the bench at the start of the half, sent a free kick over the bar in the 57th and missed in front of goal four minutes to leave the Blues’ title bid in disarray.