London, January 31:

Cristiano Ronaldo scored both goals and Manchester United beat Portsmouth 2-0 to return to the top of the English Premier League on Wednesday.

Ronaldo scored in the 10th and 13th minutes to take his season tally to 27, and lift the defending champion ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. Third-place Chelsea stretched its record unbeaten streak at home in the league to 75 games with a 1-0 win over Reading, Tottenham drew 0-0 at fourth-place Everton, Manchester City drew 1-1 at bottom club Derby, and Liverpool lost 1-0 at West Ham.

United and Arsenal, which beat Newcastle 3-0 on Tuesday, are tied on 57 points, four more than Chelsea and 14 more than Everton. Manchester City joined fifth-place Aston Villa on 41 points, and record 18-time English champion Liverpool fell back to sixth, 17 points off the pace.

Ronaldo opened the scoring at Old Trafford from a pass by fellow Portugal winger Nani, then curled in a free kick past goalkeeper David James. Chelsea stayed in strong contention for the title after midfielder Michael Ballack scored at Stamford Bridge when he headed in a cross from Paulo Ferreira in the 33rd.

Chelsea equaled its club record of nine straight wins in all competitions. The previous record was set under Jose Mourinho two years ago when Chelsea was on its way to a second straight Premier League title.

Liverpool seemed set for a fifth straight league draw until Jamie Carragher fouled Fredrik Ljungberg in the area, giving away a 90th-minute penalty. Mark Noble score from the spot.

Everton moved just three points clear of Liverpool when it was held to a scoreless draw by Tottenham, which had not drawn 0-0 in its last 64 matches.

Although Derby was denied a second win of the season by Daniel Sturridge’s 63rd-minute equaliser for Manchester City, the last-place side was still able to celebrate its first point at home since September.

Copa del Rey

MADRID: Valencia and Getafe advanced to the Copa del Rey semi-finals despite losses on Wednesday, scoring critical away goals in their second-leg matches. Atletico Madrid beat Valencia 3-2, but an own-goal by Cleber Santana and a goal by Juan Manuel Mata was enough for Valencia to advance following its 1-0 first leg win.

Esteban Granero scored from 25 yards in the 82nd for Getafe, last-year’s finalist which advanced to the final four despite a 2-1 loss to Mallorca. Juan Fernando Arango scored the winner with a header in the 56th after Ariel Ibagaza had struck from the penalty spot in the seventh. Getafe won the first leg 1-0.