Football
Reuters 17y

UPDATE 3-Soccer-United stretch lead as Chelsea stutter

(adds quotes, detail)

By Martyn Herman

LONDON, Dec 26 - Chelsea's defensive frailties
cost two valuable points in their quest for a hat-trick of
Premier League titles on Tuesday when a Michael Essien own goal
gave Reading a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Leaders Manchester United took full advantage later in the
day, extending the gap at the top to four points by cruising
past Wigan Athletic 3-1 at Old Trafford with Cristiano Ronaldo
continuing his hot streak with two more goals.

United have 50 points from 20 games while Chelsea have 46.
Bolton Wanderers, who beat Newcastle United 2-1, are third on 36
points, one ahead of Portsmouth who won 2-1 at
relegation-threatened West Ham United.

Liverpool's remote title hopes disappeared with a 1-0 defeat
at Blackburn Rovers which left them 16 points behind United.

Benni McCarthy struck for Blackburn, who had not beaten
Liverpool in 17 attempts.

Arsenal can go third with victory at bottom club Watford in
the day's final fixture.

In the absence of influential captain John Terry, Chelsea
have conceded six goals in three league matches and manager Jose
Mourinho says he does not know how long the defender will be
missing.

"I have no idea when John Terry will be back, nobody has
told me if he is going for back surgery, if it will be three
days, three weeks or three months," said Mourinho, who was also
without midfielders Joe Cole and Arjen Robben.

"The big problem is when you lose more than one crucial
player...to lose (goalkeeper) Petr (Cech) and John is a big
problem for us. At this moment we are conceding too many goals.

"Normally Chelsea in three consecutive matches have three
clean sheets but in the last three we have let in six goals,"
Mourinho told reporters.

When Reading and Chelsea met in October the game was marred
by a serious head injury to Cech.

Didier Drogba's 11th and 12th league goals of the season
seemed to have sealed victory for Chelsea on Tuesday.

STOOPING HEADER

But Reading, who had equalised after 67 minutes through
Leroy Lita's stooping header, got a deserved point when Ashley
Cole's clearence hit Essien and flew past helpless keeper
Hilario five minutes from time.

Ronaldo began on the bench for United but came on after the
break to head his side in front after 47 minutes. The Portuguese
winger then took his league tally to 10 goals when he knocked in
the rebound after Chris Kirkland had saved his penalty.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it 3-0 before Leighton Baines
pulled one back for Wigan from the penalty spot.

"I was very pleased with the start to the second half," said
United manager Alex Ferguson. "The form (Ronaldo's) in, he can
always change a game."

Despite the win guaranteeing United would go into the New
Year top of the league, Ferguson sounded a note of caution.

"We've got a lot of roads to travel yet and there will be
points dropped, United and Chelsea will both drop points," he
said.

Nicolas Anelka scored Bolton's winner as his side clocked up
a fourth successive victory while Portsmouth, who this time last
year were deep in a relegation battle, maintained their superb
form thanks to a headed double from Linvoy Primus at West Ham.

Tottenham Hotspur claimed a 12th consecutive home victory
when Jermain Defoe struck twice in a 2-1 defeat of Aston Villa.

Manchester City eased relegation worries with a 1-0 win at
fellow strugglers Sheffield United while Everton drew 0-0 at
home to Middlesbrough.

(additional reporting by Clare Lovell)

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