Premiership round-up: Park Ji-Sung and Wayne Rooney both scored twice as Manchester United maintained their Barclays Premiership title drive with a 4-1 hammering of Bolton at Old Trafford.
The visitors did not recover from losing three goals in the opening half hour as Cristiano Ronaldo ran riot and Rooney added a fourth long before Gary Speed netted a late consolation from the spot.
But the win came at a price for United, who lost skipper Gary Neville early on with ankle ligament damage which rules him out of England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers with Israel and Andorra.
The victory moved United nine points clear at the top of the table for a few hours but Chelsea were quickly on target to reduce that to six against Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge.
With Didier Drogba rested, Andriy Shevchenko started up front and put the home side ahead after just three minutes, controlling Ricardo Carvalho's superb pass before dispatching a left-foot volley into the far corner.
Shevchenko missed a great chance when he failed to connect with Shaun Wright-Phillips' cross on 17 minutes but Salomon Kalou was at the back post to double Chelsea's lead.
United's hopes of a comeback suffered a further blow when striker Rob Hulse was carried off on a stretcher following a collision with goalkeeper Petr Cech.
Michael Ballack put the result beyond any doubt with a third on 58 minutes.
At the other end of the table, Manchester City secured a priceless three points with a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough.
Sylvain Distin took advantage of a static home defence to put the visitors in front on the hour mark following Joey Barton's corner.
And controversial midfielder Barton then set up Emile Mpenza to stab the ball past goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to ease the pressure on under-fire City boss Stuart Pearce.
Tottenham cruised to a 3-1 win over Watford — thanks partly to an extraordinary goal from goalkeeper Paul Robinson.
Robinson's free-kick from near the left touchline, some 75 yards from goal, bounced just inside the Watford penalty area and over opposite number Ben Foster, who could only watch in horror as it found the bottom corner.
Jermaine Jenas had put the home side in front five minutes before the interval, rising highest at the far post to head home Pascal Chimbonda's deep cross.
Hossam Ghaly scored the third five minutes from time before Darius Henderson grabbed a late consolation for Adrian Boothroyd's side.
An injury to in-form Wigan striker Caleb Folan marred a tedious 0-0 draw between Wigan and Fulham at the JJB Stadium.
Folan, called up by Ireland for the first time last week, was carried off on a stretcher with an ankle injury after a 28th-minute clash with Carlos Bocanegra.
Reading and Portsmouth also fought out a goalless draw at the Madejski Stadium in a battle between two teams still harbouring hopes of European qualification.
Pompey midfielder Richard Hughes was desperately unlucky not to break the deadlock on 80 minutes, his stunning, swerving 30-yard left-foot drive hitting the post with goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann well beaten. PA