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Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the penalty spot as Manchester United beat Everton 1-0 on Saturday to open up a five-point gap at the top of the Premier League.
The English, European and world champions’ victory at Old Trafford added to the pressure on title rivals Chelsea and Liverpool, second and third respectively, ahead of their meeting at Anfield on Sunday.
Ronaldo struck the decisive blow a minute before half-time after England midfielder Michael Carrick was tripped in the box by Mikel Arteta.
During the course of the match United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar set a new English league record for most minutes without conceding a goal.
The 38-year-old Dutch international has now not been beaten for 1,121 minutes – more than 18-and-a-half hours – a run of 12 straight clean sheets.
Aston Villa missed the chance to go second after being held to a goalless draw.
Villa stayed fourth though and five points clear of Arsenal after the Gunners, now 10 points adrift of United, were also held to a 0-0 stalemate in a London derby with West Ham.
Martin O’Neill, the Villa manager, said he could not fault his team’s efforts.
“We’ve hit the post a couple of times and had some goal-line clearances,” he said.
“I felt that one of them was going to be forced over the line but it wasn’t to be. In terms of effort from this side, not for one minute could I complain.”
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was left to lament more lost points with Saturday’s draw at home to the Hammers following the 1-1 result at Everton in midweek.
“We tried until the end but it didn’t come off. We just lacked a little sharpness and creativity to get away with the three points,” said Wenger.
At the other end of the table, ten-man Stoke climbed out of the bottom three with a 1-0 win at home to cash-rich Manchester City.
James Beattie’s header on the stroke of half-time secured the points for Tony Pulis’s men after Rory Delap was sent-off at the Britannia Stadium following a clash with Shaun Wright-Phillips.
Bolton, who for the second time in a week threatened to throw away a 2-0 lead, moved further away from the relegation zone with a 3-2 win over fellow strugglers Tottenham.
West Brom remained bottom despite twice coming from behind in a 2-2 draw with Hull City.
Middlesbrough and Blackburn also remained in the relegation zone after a goalless draw at the Riverside.
Fulham piled the pressure on Portsmouth manager Tony Adams with a 3-1 win at Craven Cottage.
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