Wayne Rooney scored an equalizer and Manchester United hit back for a 2-2 draw at Middlesbrough on Sunday. After second-place Chelsea's 2-0 victory at Manchester City on Saturday, the Red Devils needed to win at the Riverside to keep their position safe and took a 10th-minute lead through Cristiano Ronaldo. It was his 37th goal of the season in all competitions. 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 has a three-point lead over Chelsea and six over third-place Arsenal, which drew 1-1 at home to fourth place Liverpool. United hosts Arsenal next Sunday. In a thrilling, high-quality game with snow falling at the Riverside, the score could easily have been 2-2 by halftime. After Ronaldo's 30-meter 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 meters 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 equalized in the 35th minute. Gary O'Neil's long ball was flicked on by Jeremie Aliadiere and found Alves clear of the United defense 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-meter shot from Ronaldo struck Andrew Taylor on the arm but referee Mike Riley turned it down. Boro almost added a second in the 40th when a cross found Stewart Downing totally unmarked and Van der Sar raced off his line to block the winger's close range shot. 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 defense and slide it past Van der Sar. The Brazilian, signed from Dutch club Heerenveen during the January transfer window, almost added a third three minutes later when Aliadiere again won the ball in air but Alves' 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 it defends a 2-0 Champions League lead over AS Roma in the Champions League. But the Red Devils struck back to equalize 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 meters. Saturday's other results were Aston Villa 4, Bolton 0; Blackburn 1, Tottenham 1; Fulham 1, Sunderland 3; Newcastle 3, Reading 0; Wigan 2, Birmingham 0.Milan after Ronaldinho AC Milan will try to sign Barcelona's Ronaldinho, the Italian club's president Silvio Berlusconi said on Saturday. The Brazilian, who will miss the rest of the season after tearing a leg muscle, has had a disappointing campaign at the Nou Camp and media reports say the 28-year-old is poised to leave. Milan, languishing outside a Champions League place in Serie A, has been long-time admirer of the forward who has had trouble scoring and creating chances this season. Milan striker Ronaldo has also been ruled out long term with a knee injury. Asked if Milan would buy Ronaldinho, Berlusconi told Italian news service ANSA: “I hope so, I think so. We will try to take him.” Ronaldinho's agent and brother Robert de Assis was photographed entering a restaurant with Milan vice president Adriano Galliani earlier this week. __
