Hull City's fairytale start to life in the Premier League continued Saturday as a 3-0 win over West Brom left them level on points with leaders Chelsea and Liverpool.
At least one of the top two will be ahead of the Tigers by something more than goal difference after Sunday's match between the giants of the English game at Stamford Bridge.
Nevethless fans of Hull, in the top flight for the first time in the club's 104-year history, will be able to look at a league table this weekend where their team are five points ahead of champions Manchester United.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side saw their title bid checked earlier on Saturday when Marouane Fellaini rescued a point for Everton in a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.
Having won away at Arsenal, a trip to the Hawthorns was unlikely to hold few fears for Hull who were only promoted via the play-offs.
It wasn't until after half-time that they went ahead but Kamil Zayatte's spectacular 47th minute volley was worth the wait.
Geovanni doubled the lead by heading in a cross from Marlon King before the striker himself added a third in the 66th minute.
Elsewhere former United midfielder Kieran Richardson's thunderous free-kick sealed Sunderland's first home win in the Wear-Tyne derby for 28 years as second from bottom Newcastle were beaten 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
United, looking for a seventh straight win in all competitions, went ahead in the 22nd minute when Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher shot through the legs of former Old Trafford goalkeeper Tim Howard.
But another United old boy helped Everton draw level, Phil Neville supplying the cross from which midfielder Fellaini headed in a 63rd minute equaliser.
Ferguson said afterwards he'd substituted striker Wayne Rooney with some 20 minutes left in order to prevent the former Everton forward being sent-off.
England international Rooney was booked by Alan Wiley for a late tackle on Mikel Arteta and responded to taunts from Everton fans after the foul by kissing the badge on his United shirt.
"The way the referee was behaving I feared he may be sent off, for no reason of course. Just the way the crowd were reacting in getting him booked," Ferguson told MUTV.
"In saying that we've only ourselves to blame (for not winning)."
Ferguson's former captain Roy Keane said he hoped small-scale clashes between rival sets of supporters would not detract from the performance of his Sunderland side.
"It's always nice to beat your local rivals and everybody has been reminding us how long it has been," Keane told Sky Sports.
"Nobody likes to see fans on the pitch, trust me, but hopefully they (the FA) will go easy on us because the fans have to enjoy it."
Djibril Cisse put Sunderland ahead in the 20th minute after turning a cross from Steed Malbranque before Newcastle drew level through a header from striker Shola Ameobi.
But 15 minutes from time Richardson let fly with a free-kick from the edge of the box which gave Newcastle keeper Shay Given no chance.
Former England team-mates turned managers in Paul Ince and Gareth Southgate will go head-to-head when Blackburn play Middlesbrough in Saturday's late kick-off match.
Arsenal will look to bolster their title challenge away to fellow London club West Ham on Sunday.
Meanwhile the Gunners' local rivals Tottenham, four points adrift of Newcastle at the bottom of the table, go in search of their first league win this season at home to Bolton.
In Sunday's other matches Portsmouth will look to put their midweek UEFA Cup defeat in Portugal behind them at home to Fulham, Manchester City face Stoke and Aston Villa, fresh from a 2-1 win over Ajax, are away to Wigan.
Source: AFP Global Edition
