Man Utd left it late to beat Wolves at Old Trafford, Bolton upset European heroes Tottenham and Sunderland overcame Stoke.
Blackpool shared the spoils with Everton after an action-packed clash at Bloomfield Road, while Blackburn got back to winning ways against Wigan.
Fulham denied Aston Villa all three points at Craven Cottage with a last-gasp leveller and Birmingham battled back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with West Ham.
Park Ji-sung's last-gasp goal earned Manchester United a fortuitous 2-1 win over battling Wolves at Old Trafford.
United looked set to miss the chance to close on Chelsea by dropping two points until Park popped up deep into stoppage time with a crucial winner.
Owen Hargreaves saw his long-awaited return to action for last less than five minutes as he limped off with an apparent hamstring problem.
Hargreaves was a shock inclusion in the starting XI in his first Premier League start since September 2008 because of long-term knee problems.
However, the England international's injury jinx struck again in the opening five minutes when he appeared to pull his hamstring when crossing the ball from the right and he was forced to limp off to be replaced by Bebe.
Somewhat against the run of play United broke the deadlock right on the stroke of half-time as Darren Fletcher picked out Park inside the box with a clever pass and the South Korean slotted past Wolves keeper Marcus Hahnemann.
Former United man Sylvan Ebanks-Blake came off the bench to draw Wolves level on 66 minutes when Nenad Milijas' mis-hit shot fell into his path inside the box and he fired his shot between the legs of Edwin van de Sar.
That looked like earning Wolves a famous point, but Park broke their hearts as he cut in from the right and drilled a low shot past Hahnemann to send the home fans into raptures and move United to within two points of leaders Chelsea.
Tottenham were brought back to earth after their midweek European heroics after going down 4-2 to Bolton at the Reebok Stadium.
Kevin Davies scored twice for the home side, one from the penalty spot, with further goals from Gretar Steinsson and substitute Martin Petrov rendering Alan Hutton and Roman Pavlyuchenko's superb efforts mere consolations.
Bolton broke the deadlock just past the half hour mark in controversial circumstances when Taylor robbed Sandro in possesion and fed Davies who was in an offside position, but the offside flag stayed down and Davies drilled his left-footed shot past Heurelho Gomes.
The home side added a second on 56 minutes when Johan Elmander picked out Steinsson inside the box for the full-back to drive home his first goal of the season.
Bolton won a penalty 14 minutes from time when Benoit Assou-Ekotto barged into the back of Lee Chung-yong and Davies scored with ease from the spot.
Three minutes later Spurs pulled a goal back when Hutton cut in from the right and curled a brilliant left-footed shot high into the net past Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Substitute Pavlyuchenko reduced the arrears further three minutes from time with a stunning volley from an acute angle to set up a tense finale.
However, Bolton ended any hopes of a shock comeback from the visitors when Petrov raced clear from Davies' flick to slot coolly past Gomes.
Birmingham came from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with basement boys West Ham at St Andrews.
After dominating the first half West Ham deservedly grabbed the lead three minutes into the second half when Luis Boa Morte sent Frederic Piquionne clear on goal and he slotted past Ben Foster.
Ten minutes later West Ham added a second when Carlton Cole squared the ball for Valon Behrami to slot after some careless defending from the home side.
Birmingham gave themselves hope on 64 minutes when Nikola Zigic headed Sebastian Larsson's cross down into the path of Cameron Jerome who nipped in to knock the ball past Robert Green.
The home side drew level 17 minutes from time when Green could only parry Larsson's free-kick straight into the path of Liam Ridgewell who reacted quickly to convert the rebound.
Asamoah Gyan marked his first Premier League start for Sunderland with both goals in a controversial 2-0 win over Stoke.
The Ghana international gave Sunderland the perfect start when he found the net from close-range after just nine minutes.
Sunderland missed a great chance to double their lead just before the half hour mark when Jon Walters pulled back Gyan inside the box to concede a penalty, but Asmir Begovic produced a superb save low down to his left to keep out Steed Malbranque's spot-kick.
Stoke felt they had equalised midway through the second half when Lee Cattermole appeared to clear Kenwyne Jones's header behind his own goaline with a combination of his arm and head, but to the visitors' astonishment referee Martin Atkinson only awarded a corner to Stoke.
Things got worse for Stoke when Ryan Shawcross was sent off for a bodycheck on Danny Welbeck on the edge of the penalty area seven minutes from time
Sunderland made the game safe four minutes from time when Gyan converted his shot just inside the box.
Everton twice came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw at Blackpool.
Neal Eardley gave Blackpool the lead after just 10 minutes with his first goal for the club with a superb curling free-kick from 25 yards past Tim Howard.
However, the lead proved short-lived as Yakubu Aiyegbeni crossed for Tim Cahill to head powerfully past Matt Gilks
David Vaughan restored Blackpool's lead three minutes into the second half when he scored at the second attempt after an almighty goalmouth scramble inside the Everton box.
Again Blackpool failed to hold onto their lead with Everton equalising for a second time two minutes later as former Blackpool loanee Seamus Coleman saw his shot squirm under the body of Gilks who really should have done better with the shot.
Brede Hangeland's last-gasp goal earned Fulham a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.
Marc Albrighton looked like celebrating his new deal in style with the winning goal, but Hangeland popped up with an unlikely equaliser for Fulahm to deny Gerard Houllier's side all three points.
Barry Bannan was the creator of the goal as he picked out Albrighton with a sublime crossfield pass and the winger brilliantly controlled the ball without breaking stride before slipping his shot past Mark Schwarzer.
Fulham secured a share of the spoils with almost the last attack of the game as Hangeland broke the visitors' resistance.
Blackburn climbed out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Wigan at Ewood Park.
After a goalless first half Blackburn made the breakthrough just before the hour mark when Morten Gamst Pedersen curled an unstoppable free-kick from way out on the right high into the net past Ali Al-Habsi.
The home side doubled their advantage on 67 minutes with former Latics striker Jason Roberts converted Brett Emerton's cross for his first goal of the season.
Charles N'Zogbia gave Wigan hope 16 minutes from time when he somehow curled his free-kick through the Blackburn wall and in off the post past Paul Robinson.
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