United crash at Fratton Park

Rio Ferdinand's comical own-goal completed an afternoon without laughs for Manchester United as Portsmouth's shock 2-1 win allowed Chelsea to cut their lead at the top to three points.

A thrill-a-minute second half ended in bedlam as Pompey, leading 1-0 with Matt Taylor's 30th-minute strike, saw Taylor's overhit pass to Lomana Lualua in the 88th minute turned past Edwin van der Sar by Ferdinand's intervention.

Although John O'Shea's tap-in gave United hope after a David James blunder, the Pompey keeper regained hero status by saving substitute Alan Smith's late shot.

Pompey took the lead when Benjani drilled in a drive that van der Sar could only parry. Taylor was quicker than Ferdinand to the rebound and tucked it past the goalkeeper.

Michael Carrick almost put United back on level terms, but his low shot drifted just wide. Then James blocked Darren Fletcher's shot with his legs. Just before first-half stoppage time Taylor turned the ball past van der Sar again, only to see it hacked clear.

James then excelled, pushing away Cristiano Ronaldo's flick, and Lauren backed him up to block Wes Brown's follow-up.

Ryan Giggs forced James into another save and then the Welsh international fired in a cracker to send James leaping for an immaculate tip-over. When Wayne Rooney skated clear on 69 minutes, Linvoy Primus timed his recovery tackle to perfection once again and the England striker's volatile protest to the referee cut no ice.

But Pompey were still in it as an attacking force, Kanu's long-ranger stinging van der Sar's palms before the keeper dived to push away Sean Davis's shot.

Ferdinand inadvertently sealed it with his own-goal two minutes from the end.

James' error handed O'Shea no more than a consolation thanks to the former England keeper's late save from Smith.