Pass the Port

Another two goals by on fire Cristiano Ronaldo helped Manchester United to a 3-2 win against Steve Coppell’s impressive Reading side and a commanding six point lead at the top of the Premiership - and provided the perfect early birthday present for manager Sir Alex Ferguson, whose eligibility for a pension and a bus pass is unlikely to make much difference to his appetite for the job he loves.

And to make everything that little bit sweeter, news filtered through from Stamford Bridge that stuttering Chelsea had dropped yet more valuable home points, as Chris Coleman’s fast improving Fulham (like Arsenal and Reading before them) emerged with a draw that might easily have turned into a win.