Ronaldo puts United ahead

Cristiano Ronaldo put Manchester United on course to end 2007 on top of the Premier League at half-time against West Ham.

The Portugal winger’s header – his 18th goal of the season – finished off a superb 14th-minute break to ensure United went into the break 1-0 up at Upton Park.

Mark Noble earlier missed an open goal after Hayden Mullins’ shot cannoned off the crossbar.

Michael Essien gave injury-hit Chelsea a 1-0 half-time lead against Newcastle to maintain their own title challenge.

The Ghana midfielder swept home from six yards shortly before the half-hour mark after Shaun Wright-Phillips’ shot had deflected into his path.

All the main relegation contenders playing today were ahead in their respective games.

Second-bottom Sunderland were set to get their survival bid back on track after taking a 2-1 half-time lead against Bolton.

Kieran Richardson, who only returned from a four-month injury lay-off on St Stephen's Day, scored his first goal for the club when he blasted the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen following brilliant work from Kenwyne Jones.

The roles were reversed when Jones powered home a header from Richardson’s corner but El-Hadji Diouf halved the deficit when his flighted free-kick evaded everyone and curled into the net.

Carlos Bocanegra’s eighth-minute header was enough to give Fulham a 1-0 half-time lead at Birmingham in Ray Lewington’s final match as caretaker boss.

Bocanegra nodded in Simon Davies’ corner, though Blues should have been ahead earlier on after Gary McSheffrey blazed over when clean through.

Titus Bramble notched his first Wigan goal as they into the break 1-0 up against Aston Villa.

Bramble connected with a bullet header from Ryan Taylor’s pinpoint corner in the 28th minute.

Middlesbrough were also 1-0 up at Portsmouth thanks to Tuncay Sanli’s fourth goal in the last six games.

The Turk tapped into an empty net after David James parried Gary O’Neil’s volley from Stewart Downing’s inswinging cross.

The latest blunder from Paul Robinson saw Tottenham go into half-time drawing 1-1 with Reading.

Dimitar Berbatov put Spurs into an early lead, slotting in Robbie Keane’s ball from six yards.

Robinson then allowed Kalifa Cisse to level with his first Royals goal when the goalkeeper met Nicky Shorey’s long free-kick with a weak punch and Cisse sidefooted home.