Boro swamp United in snow

But Afonso Alves struck twice for his first goals for Boro only for Rooney to deny the home side an upset victory with a 74th-minute goal. The result means United have a three-point lead over Chelsea and six over third-place Arsenal, who drew 1-1 at home to fourth place Liverpool. United host Arsenal next Sunday.

8220;I8217;ve said for a while the most consistent team would win and we have to maintain the consistency that we8217;ve shown these last few weeks,8221; said United manager Alex Ferguson.

8220;We8217;ve got a point today from what I look upon as a difficult fixture. There were periods when I thought we were going to win but, in the context of the game it was a fair result.8221;

Frantic action

In a thrilling, high-quality game with snow falling at the Riverside, the score could easily have been 2-2 by halftime. After Ronaldo8217;s 30-metre free-kick had been deflected over the bar, Boro failed to clear the corner and Michael Carrick found the winger unmarked with a low cross from the left. Ronaldo struck the ball first time into the roof of the net with his left foot from 12 metres for his 27th league goal.

Ronaldo almost made it 2-0 in the 30th when he dribbled past four Boro defenders and only had goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer to beat but shot well wide of near post. United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar then blocked a powerful 30-meter free kick from Alves before the Brazilian equalised in the 35th.

Gary O8217;Neil8217;s long ball was flicked on by Jeremie Aliadiere and found Alves clear of the United defence and he slid it past van der Sar for the first league goal conceded by United in six games.

United claimed a penalty when a powerful 20-metre shot from Ronaldo struck Andrew Taylor on the arm but referee Mike Riley turned it down.

Shock lead

The home side went ahead in the 55th when Aliadiere won the ball in the air and Alves controlled it to run clear of the defence and slide it past van der Sar.

The Brazilian almost added a third three minutes later when Aliadiere again won the ball in the air but Alves8217; close range effort was blocked by Rio Ferdinand.

Already without Nemanja Vidic for three weeks with a knee injury, United lost his central defensive partner Ferdinand with an ankle problem only three days before they defend a 2-0 Champions League lead over AS Roma in the Champions League.

But the Red Devils struck back to equalise 16 minutes from the end. Substitute Park Ji-sung set up the chance with a break down the right, turning inside Taylor and crossing for Rooney to stab the ball home from 10 metres.