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On Tuesday, the 20th round of matches was played in the English Premier League.
The "Man Utd" continues to demonstrate champion-like performance. On the second day of Christmas, Sir Alex Ferguson's players defeated "Wigan" 3-1 and increased their lead over the closest pursuers to 4 points.
After an uneventful first half, everything fell into place right after the break. And the culprit of it all - Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 2 goals in 4 minutes. First, in the 47th minute, the young winger outjumped Chris Kirkland with a header from a corner, and then failed to convert a penalty from 11 meters, but he was the first to react to the rebound and sent the ball to the net for the second time - 2-0.
In the 67th minute, after recovering from a serious injury, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored the third goal for "Wigan," leaving the visitors only to settle for a penalty converted at the end of the match.
Defending champions London "Chelsea" lost two crucial points in a 2-2 draw with mid-table team "Reading."
Playing at their home "Stamford Bridge" stadium, Jose Mourinho's team dominated in the first half but failed to capitalize on their chances initially. Eventually, in the 38th minute, the excellent form displayed this season by Didier Drogba continued as he beat defender Ibrahim Sonko in the air and headed the ball into the net after Frank Lampard's corner.
In the second half, "Reading" started much better and had a chance early on to level the score, but Brynjar Gunnarsson's shot flew wide of the goal after a dangerous ricochet.
The champions seemed lost and sluggish in the second part of the match, so the visitors' goal in the 67th minute was not a big surprise - Glenn Little crossed the ball from the side, and Leroy Lita easily beat Hilario to even the score. However, the balance did not last long - D.Drogba got back to work and, this time after Shaun Wright-Phillips' pass, beat Marcus Hahnemann for the second time.
That was not all - "Reading" tried everything to steal at least one point and came close multiple times until the 85th minute when the scoreline read 2-2: "Chelsea" defender Ashley Cole tried to clear the ball but accidentally hit his teammate Michael Essien, who scored an own goal.
Another top club, "Liverpool," also dropped points, unexpectedly losing 1-0 to bottom-dweller "Blackburn" on the road.
In the first 45 minutes, neither team managed to break the opponent's defense, but "Blackburn" should thank their goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who saved multiple shots by Craig Bellamy, Peter Crouch, and others from "Liverpool," especially towards the end of the half.
Despite dominating, the guests conceded immediately after the break - Morten Gamst Pedersen received the ball inside the penalty area after a nice combination and laid it off to Benni McCarthy, who scored easily from a few meters. This was also the first goal conceded by "Liverpool" in over 11 hours of play in the Premier League.
After that, the visitors took control of the game, but all their efforts were in vain - "Blackburn" goalkeeper B. Friedel made fantastic saves, and once Xabi Alonso's long shot hit the crossbar.
All 20th round results
2 - 2
38' [1 - 0] Didier Drogba
67' [1 - 1] Leroy Lita
72' [2 - 1] Didier Drogba
86' [2 - 2] Michael Essien (own goal)
... (results for other matches continue)Top scorers:
1. Didier Drogba ("Chelsea") 12 goals
2. Cristiano Ronaldo ("Man Utd") 10 goals
3. Nwankwo Kanu ("Portsmouth") 9 goals
4-6. Louis Saha ("Man Utd") 8 goals
Wayne Rooney ("Man Utd") 8 goals
Kevin Doyle ("Reading") 8 goals
