London, December 31:

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his sixth goal in three games and Manchester United beat Reading 3-2 on Saturday to move six points clear of Chelsea in the Premier League.

Chelsea, the two-time defending champions, was held 2-2 by Fulham in a London derby. The Blues have now dropped four points in two home games in five days after Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Reading.

Arsenal lost 1-0 at Sheffield United to drop two places to fifth, 17 points behind Man United.

At Old Trafford, Ole Gunner Solskjaer also scored in the Red Devils’ 17th league win this season, one day before manager Alex Ferguson’s 65th birthday. Ibrahima Sonko and Leroy Lita scored for Reading.

At Stamford Bridge, defender Moritz Volz put Fulham up 1-0 in the 16th minute by scoring the 15,000th Premier League goal since the competition began in 1992.

Defender Liam Rosenior deflected Frank Lampard’s shot into Fulham’s net in the 35th minute, before Didier Drogba scored his 20th goal of the season in the 62nd minute to put Chelsea 2-1 up. But United States defender Carlos Bocanegra equalized for Fulham with a goal in the 84th minute.

At Bramall Lane, Christian Nade broke away from Arsenal defender Kolo Toure to score Sheffield United’s winner in the 41st. The Blades lost goalkeeper Paddy Kenny with a groin injury midway through the second half, forcing midfielder Phil Jagielka into goal with no replacement on the bench. Jagielka pushed a shot from Robin van Persie over the bar in his only save as Sheffield United rose two places to 15th.

In Saturday’s other games, it was: Bolton 3, Portsmouth 2; Blackburn 2, Middlesbrough 1; Everton 3, Newcastle 0; Tottenham 0, Liverpool 1; West Ham 0, Manchester City 1; Charlton 2, Aston Villa 1.