Ronaldo sends Man Utd top

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo gave Man Utd three points against Blackburn at Old Trafford. Man Utd romped to the top of the league with a fantastic performance against a rapidly improving Blackburn side. Man Utd move three points ahead of Arsenal, who have two games in hand - starting with their trip to Reading on Monday.

The contest was turned on its head when Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace of goals in two minutes that won three points for United and Mark Hughes’s side tasted their first away defeat this season in the Premiership.

The Portuguese winger first scored off a header from the centre of the penalty area following a corner-kick from skipper Ryan Giggs from left channel in the 33rd minute.

In the 35th minute, a counter-attack started by Louis Saha’s pass to Carlos Tevez saw the Argentine sprint well into the Rovers area and tee up Ronaldo for a goal from six yards and the angular finish meant Brad Friedel was caught on the wrong foot.

Friedel had earlier parried an effort from Tevez to safety while Rovers were denied when Christopher Samba struck the woodwork.

United had a good chance to increase their lead at the start of second half but Giggs failed to keep his volley on target.

Rovers were reduced to 10 men in the 53rd minute when midfielder David Dunn was sent off after being handed his second booking of the match by Chris Foy for a rash challenge on Saha.

Ronaldo came close to scoring his hat-trick as his long-range shot narrowly missed the top corner in the 62nd minute as the Red Devils camped in the Rovers territory.

Brett Emerton made a couple of important tackles to thwart Giggs’ attempts to build onto the United lead.

In the 73rd minute, Morten Gamst Pedersen wasted a good opportunity to reduce the deficit when he blazed over after a clearing header from Rio Ferdinand off a cross from Stephen Warnock, travelled to him.

Friedel made a superb reflex save from Ferdinand’s snap shot from the penalty area following a corner kick in the 83rd minute.

Edwin Van der Sar made a good low save off a dipping header from Samba with three minutes for the final whistle.