Manchester United, the leaders, went three points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League table after a comfortable 2-0 home victory over Bolton Wanderers.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side took a ninth-minute lead when the ball broke to Cristiano Ronaldo 12 yards out and the Portugal international fired past Al Habsi, the Bolton goalkeeper. Ronaldo doubled United's lead, scoring direct from a 30-yard free-kick, on 19 minutes with what was his 33rd goal of the season.

While United were strengthening their own title credentials, Chelsea lost the chance to do the same as they drew 4-4 with Tottenham Hotspur in a thriller at White Hart Lane.

Chelsea, who would have drawn level on points with Arsenal in second with a victory, struck first, Didier Drogba putting them in front with a third-minute header after being left unmarked at the far post, but Jonathan Woodgate, who scored in the Carling Cup final victory over Chelsea last month, headed Spurs level nine minutes later.

Tottenham were only on terms for eight minutes, however, as Michael Essien restored the visitors' advantage and Joe Cole made it 3-1 seven minutes into the second half. Spurs were furious with a tackle by Ashley Cole that only earned the left-back a yellow card from Mike Riley, the referee and Gustavo Poyet, the Spurs assistant manager, remonstrated with the player as they went down the tunnel at half-time.

Spurs enjoyed much the better of the second half and fought their way back into the game just after the hour when Dimitar Berbatov outjumped John Terry to head home before Tom Huddlestone then levelled things up. Cole put Chelsea in front again ten minutes from the end, only for Robbie Keane to score a magnificent equaliser for Spurs and the home side could have even won it in injury time but for a magnificent save from Carlo Cudicini which denied Berbatov.

Tonight's results

Manchester United 2 (Ronaldo 9, 19) Bolton 0
Tottenham Hotspur 4 (Woodgate 12, Berbatov 61, Huddlestone 75, Keane 88) Chelsea 4 (Drogba 3, Essien 20, Joe Cole 52, 80)

Click here for results and details from the rest of tonight's action.

Team news

Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers

Manchester United: Kuszczak, Fletcher, Pique, Vidic, O’Shea, Ronaldo, Hargreaves, Anderson, Nani, Saha, Tevez. Substitutes: Foster, Evra, Brown, Rooney, Scholes.

Bolton: Al Habsi, Steinsson, Meite, Andrew O’Brien, Gardner, Diouf, McCann, Guthrie, Joey O’Brien, Taylor, Davies. Substitutes: Walker, Hunt, Giannakopoulos, Campo, Rasiak.

Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea

Tottenham: Robinson, Hutton, Woodgate, King, Chimbonda, Lennon, Jenas, Zokora, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane. Substitutes: Cerny, Tainio, Dawson, Huddlestone, Bent.

Chelsea: Cudicini, Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Essien, Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole, Drogba, Kalou. Substitutes: Hilario, Shevchenko, Ballack, Wright-Phillips, Alex.

Referee: Mike Riley (Yorkshire)