Goals: Rooney 77', Ronaldo 90'

Wayne Rooney scored one then set up Cristiano Ronaldo for his 23rd goal of the season as a Manchester United late show shot down Reading with a 2-0 win on Saturday.

Ronaldo made it 22 goals in his last 21 games as United ensured they remain on top of the table, ahead of rivals Arsenal on goal difference.

Imperious against Newcastle United last week in a 6-0 drubbing, they had to fight every inch of the way against a Reading side who battled gamely throughout.

Hitting three against the hapless Newcastle last Saturday was clearly not enough for Ronaldo as he tore into Reading from the off.

In the first minute, Park Ji-Sung fed Carlos Tevez who picked out the Portuguese winger lurking free on the right.

Ronaldo cut inside Nicky Shorey with ease and hit a right-footed shot from 18 yard just past the right hand post.

Reading recovered from their shaky opening and almost took the lead with their first attack in the ninth minute.

Stephen Hunt picked out Leroy Lita and his shot from 10 yards was smothered by Edwin van der Sar but the ball broke to Dave Kitson.

The striker tried to stab home but Nemanja Vidic performed heroics to block the shot.

Manchester United came close in the 13th minute when Rooney picked out Tevez breaking through on the right-hand side of the area.

Tevez hit a right-footed shot which Marcus Hahnemann did well to block for a corner.

Rooney had a goal chalked off for offside in the 20th minute when he was caught out by the Reading trap from Tevez's delightful throughball.

United went much closer to breaking the deadlock with fit again England midfielder Owen Hargreaves's superb free-kick.

Ronaldo was brought down 20 yards out by a clumsy Hunt challenge and Hargreaves curled the free-kick over the wall, but could not beat Hahnemann who dived full-length to palm it away.

Rio Ferdinand saved van der Sar's blushes after his horrendous mistake almost cost a goal.

The Dutch goalkeeper's clearance went straight to Kitson, who hit a first-time shot from 40 yards with van der Sar stranded on the edge of area.

Ferdinand got back smartly to head the ball, which was heading for the back of the net, away.

Ryan Giggs replaced Park at the break after the South Korean's disappointing first half and the veteran made made an immediate impact when his corner caused chaos in the Reading box.

Hahnemann could only palm the ball onto the back of Kitson and it almost went over the lone Kalifa Cisse, who acrobatically hooked the danger away.

Ronaldo misses a glorious chance to score in the 58th minute when he missed a sitter from eight yards.

Ferdinand picked him out unmarked with a cross but the winger lashed the ball over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

Tevez linked up with Rooney to break the deadlock with a classic goal in the 77th minute.

The Argentine maestro dinked a delightful throughball that Rooney steered past the helpless Hahnemann and into the back of the net for his sixth goal in the league this season.

Reading went close to spoiling the party when Kevin Doyle hit the ball just wide with a firm header after United failed to clear a corner but it was to be Ronaldo who had the last word of the afternoon.

Reading: Hahnemann, Murty, Ingimarsson, Cisse, Shorey, Doyle, Hunt, Harper, Convey (Matejovsky 80'), Lita (Long 83'), Kitson.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Hargreaves (Nani 70'), Park (Giggs 46'), Rooney, Tevez (Fletcher 81').