Dimitar Berbatov scored a last-minute goal to give Manchester United a 1-0 win at Bolton to put them top of the Premier League table for the first time this season.
Liverpool, who play Everton on Monday, lie a point behind in second place, while Chelsea and Aston Villa also rely on late goals to remain in third and fourth positions respectively.
United, who started with Carlos Tevez up front in place of the injured Wayne Rooney, had chances through Berbatov and Cristiano Ronaldo in the first half while Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen kept out Nemanja Vidic.
Kevin Davies then wasted a great chance to give Bolton the win and the game looked set for a draw until Bulgarian Berbatov headed home Tevez's cross to move the Red Devils one point clear of Liverpool at the top.
Meanwhile, Chelsea scored twice in the last six minutes as they came from behind to beat strugglers Stoke 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Didier Drogba was once again omitted from the squad but his replacement, Salomon Kalou, cleared the bar from six yards from a Frank Lampard cross early on.
Nicolas Anelka missed a chance just before the break, then Lampard saw a low shot saved by Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen as Chelsea dominated.
Stoke then shocked the Stamford Bridge faithful on the hour mark when James Beattie's deft touch found Rory Delap who lifted the ball over Petr Cech to give the visitors the lead.
Chelsea looked doomed to continue their poor home for this season, but Juliano Belletti's far-post header and Lampard's superb low drive in injury time gave Luiz Felipe Scolari's side the three points.
Villa also had to come from behind to beat Sunderland 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
The home side broke the deadlock after 14 minutes when Carlos Edwards' free-kick found Danny Collins at the back post and he headed past a stranded Brad Friedel to register his first goal of the season.
James Milner's controversial goal levelled things on the hour. Ashley Young raced down the right to cross for Milner to head the ball home -- although replays showed the ball may have struck his arm.
Young was then given a straight red for a two-footed lunge before Gareth Barry converted a penalty after Paul McShane fouled Gabriel Agbonlahor.
In a good day for the top clubs, Arsenal also remained in touch in fifth place as they continued their recent revival with a 3-1 win at Hull City.
Emmanuel Adebayor put the visitors ahead with a looping header from Robin van Persie's deep corner, but Hull levelled in the 65th minute when Daniel Cousin headed firmly past Manuel Almunia after Bernard Mendy's cross took a slight deflection off Gael Clichy.
However, with nine minutes remaining Arsenal re-took the lead when van Persie's pass found Samir Nasri in space on the left and the Frenchman shot across goal into the corner of the net.
The Gunners then killed the game off five minutes from time when substitute Nicklas Bendtner played a one-two with an offside-looking Van Persie before finishing clinically. Arsenal almost added a fourth when Bendtner struck the post late on.
The result extended Arsenal's unbeaten league run to eigth matches and avenged their 2-1 home defeat by Hull earlier in the season.
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