Date:25/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/25/stories/2006122506091700.htm

Sport

Robben scores Chelsea's winner

LONDON: Manchester United maintained its two-point lead over Chelsea at the top of the Premier League at the halfway point of the season. United beat Aston Villa 3-0 on Saturday and a 90th-minute goal from Arjen Robben gave Chelsea a 3-2 win at Wigan.

United has 47 points and Chelsea 45. In the past, every club with at least 47 points after 19 games has gone on to win the Premier League.

2,000th goal

Cristiano Ronaldo notched the 2,000th United goal under manager Alex Ferguson with his opener in the 58th minute before Paul Scholes volleyed in a superb strike five minutes later. Ronaldo sealed the win by turning in Gary Neville's cross in the 86th.

League record

Inter Milan rallied to beat Atalanta 2-1 on Saturday and tie the Italian league record for consecutive wins at 11.

Inter fell behind when Cristiano Doni scored for Atalanta from outside the area in the 17th minute at San Siro. Adriano equalised in the 64th with a diving header, his first goal for Inter in nine months.

Inter got the winner in the 75th after Atalanta defender Simone Loria headed into his own goal.

Inter matched AS Roma's 11-game winning streak from last season. The Nerazzurri will have to wait three weeks to break the record and play Torino on January 14 after the holiday break.

``I'm pleased to spend Christmas like this, but we know the season doesn't end with the end of the calendar year,'' Inter owner Massimo Moratti said.

Adriano had not scored for Inter since March 29 of last season — against Villarreal in the Champions League. His last league goal came on March 11.

``It was very important for him to score,'' Inter coach Roberto Mancini said. ``Now I hope he starts the new year well.''

Inter leads with 48 points, followed by Roma with 41 and Palermo with 35.

The results:

English Premier League: Arsenal 6 bt Blackburn 2, Aston Villa 0 lost to Manchester United 3, Liverpool 2 bt Watford 0, Manchester City 0 lost to Bolton 2, Middlesbrough 2 bt Charlton 0, Newcastle 3 bt Tottenham 1, Portsmouth 3 bt Sheffield United 1, Reading 0 lost to Everton 2, Wigan 2 lost to Chelsea 3.

Italian league: Ascoli 3 bt Chievo Verona 0, Catania 4 bt Sampdoria 2, Fiorentina 4 bt Messina 0, Inter Milan 2 bt Atalanta 1, Livorno 1 bt Torino 1, Parma 1 lost to Lazio 3, Reggina 4 bt Empoli 1, AS Roma 2 bt Cagliari 0, Siena 1 bt Palermo 1, Udinese 0 lost to AC Milan 3. — AP