Premiership review: Cristiano Ronaldo increased his goal tally this season to 27 as his double against Portsmouth saw Manchester United return to the top of the Premiership, while things went from bad to worse for Liverpool as they were beaten by a last minute West Ham penalty.
The 22-year-old Ronaldo scored two in three minutes as United cruised to a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.
The Portugal international put United ahead in the 10th minute when he beat the offside trap to collect Nani's pass and slipped the ball across David James.
He added a spectacular second with an unstoppable free-kick over a static Portsmouth wall and into the net before goalkeeper David James had even moved.
Mark Noble scored an injury-time penalty to claim West Ham's 1-0 win over Liverpool at Upton Park.
Noble kept his cool to convert the spot-kick, after Jamie Carragher brought down Freddie Ljungberg as the Hammers counter-attacked.
Liverpool were fortunate not to have been a goal down at half-time, after Steve Finnan headed against his own crossbar on 26 minutes.
Earlier, Luis Boa Morte blazed over when the Reds panicked as Lee Bowyer tussled.
Boa Morte then snatched at the ball when unmarked in front of goal.
Liverpool remain without a league win since St Stephens's Day.
Chelsea equalled a club record of nine successive wins in all competitions, set in 2005 under Jose Mourinho, with a 1-0 success at home Reading.
The victory means the Blues are now unbeaten in 75 consecutive league games at Stamford Bridge — and they remain in third place.
Chelsea almost took the lead when Reading goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann attempted to punch the ball clear but succeeded only in sending it towards his own net where John Oster cleared off the line.
However, the hosts went ahead in the 33rd minute when Michael Ballack converted Paulo Ferreira's cross from the right with a towering header.
Shaun Wright-Phillips spurned the chance to extend the lead when he hit the ball straight at Hahnemann.
Nicolas Anelka's shot went just wide, before the Frenchman's header cannoned off Hahnemann.
Everton and Tottenham shared a 0-0 draw at Goodison Park, with the hosts remaining in fourth place.
Andy Johnson came closest in the second half when he found himself unmarked in front of goal following a sharp turn — but his shot was saved by Radek Cerny.
Johnson was also involved in the most dramatic moment of the first half when he tumbled under the attention of Tom Huddlestone.
Referee Andre Marriner waved away all appeals, and it looked more like Johnson had tripped over his own feet.
The hosts had the most of the possession but they could not breach a solid defence in which Jonathan Woodgate made an assured debut.
Derby shared a 1-1 draw with Manchester City at Pride Park, the visitors leapfrogging Liverpool into sixth.
Derby took the lead immediately after half-time when Kenny Miller's shot, which was going wide, hit Sun Jihai and went into the net.
However, City replied through Daniel Sturridge in the 63rd minute — the teenager getting his second goal in two games when he converted from close range from Martin Petrov's left-wing cross.
