An injury-time winner from Nwankwo Kanu gave champions Arsenal a dramatic 2-1 victory over 10-man Bolton Wanderers in the Premiership this afternoon.
The scrambled victory kept Arsenal top of the table on 17 points, two ahead of Liverpool, who beat 10-man West Bromwich Albion 2-0.
Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur thanks to a Ruud van Nistelrooy penalty, Newcastle United beat Sunderland 2-0 in the northeast derby and Middlesbrough kept up their good start with a 1-0 home win over Birmingham City.
Southampton against Charlton and West Ham United against Manchester City were both goalless. Tottenham drop to third on 13 points, one ahead of Leeds United and Chelsea, who play on Sunday and Monday respectively.
Arsenal knew they would be in for a battle against Bolton, possibly the league's most tenacious side and a team who had drawn at Highbury last season. There was therefore some concern when Thierry Henry hit the post with an early penalty.
However, the French striker made amends in the 26th minute, running onto a pinpoint Fredrik Ljungberg pass, rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball in.
The goal made it 46 successive scoring matches for The Gunners, equalling an English league record set by Chesterfield in the old Third Division North 72 years ago.
Arsenal were in charge but the visitors equalised two minutes into the second half as a deep cross by Gareth Farrelly somehow flew in over the head of David Seaman.
Arsenal immediately returned to the offensive, Henry having a goal ruled out for offside, before Bolton were forced to play the last 10 minutes with 10 men after Spanish defender Ivan Campo, on-loan from Real Madrid, was sent off for a second booking - throwing the ball away at a free kick.
They paid a heavy price deep into injury time when Henry's header caused confusion in the box and Kanu flew in to touch in the winner.
West Brom's promising early moments at Anfield were undone 10 minutes before halftime when goalkeeper Russell Hoult was sent off for bringing down Michael Owen.
The England striker took the subsequent penalty but the Baggies replacement keeper Joe Murphy, an Irish Under-21 international, saved it with his first touch for his new club since signing from Tranmere Rovers in the close season.
However, in-form Milan Baros showed Owen the way to goal with a 56th-minute header and John Arne Riise completed the win late on.
Spurs goalkeeper Kasey Keller made a series of good saves to keep United at bay in the first hour at Old Trafford, including one excellent stop to deny Ruud van Nistelrooy. Injury-hit Spurs could have gone ahead when Dean Richards shot straight at Fabien Barthez from point-blank range after 62 minutes.
Almost immediately United went ahead when Van Nistelrooy scored with a penalty after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been felled.
There was more good news for United with a first appearance of the season for Gary Neville, who broke a bone in his foot late last season.
Middlesbrough are up to sixth place the after Franck Queudrue's superb free kick gave them all three points against Birmingham.
Craig Bellamy after two minutes and Alan Shearer after 39 had Newcastle in total control against Sunderland and never looked like losing it against their shot-shy neighbours, who are now second-last in the standings with just two goals to their name this season.