Manchester United have moved 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League table courtesy of a 1-0 win over Reading at Old Trafford this evening.

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United's first chance came after 15 minutes when Ashley Young drilled the ball across the face of the goal with Robin van Persie waiting at the back post. The Dutch striker just couldn't turn the ball in, however, and Reading escaped.

The Royals weren't so lucky a few minutes later when Rio Ferdinand found Wayne Rooney, whose eventual shot deflected off Alex Pearce, looping up and over Stuart Taylor.

Reading almost levelled the scores with 10 minutes of the first half left, but Hal Robson-Kanu's effort curled inches wide of the post with David de Gea beaten.

Young had a chance to double his side's lead just after the hour mark when Van Persie's corner was cleared as far as the winger, but his volley sailed over the crossbar.

Van Persie almost got on the scoresheet himself soon after when his free kick was curling towards the bottom corner, only for Taylor to get down and push it away.

Taylor was called into action again in the closing stages when Ryan Giggs's cross was almost turned into the Reading net by Adrian Mariappa, but the goalkeeper was alert enough to flick the ball away.