Chelsea put a miserable week behind them to return to the Premier League summit with a 2-0 win over Fulham as the wheels came off Liverpool's bright start in a 1-0 home defeat to Southampton on Saturday.
Chelsea had Brazil playmaker Oscar and midfielder John Obi Mikel to thank for sealing a victory that will help consign to memory last weekend's defeat by Everton and their midweek Champions League reverse against Basel.
The win moved them up to 10 points from five matches, ahead of Liverpool on goal difference after Southampton inflicted a first defeat of the season on the Merseysiders.
Southampton defender Dejan Lovren scored with a second-half header to emphatically quieten the premature talk of a title push that had been swirling around Anfield.
Everton celebrated a stunning 3-2 win at West Ham United with Leighton Baines twice equalising from free kicks and on-loan striker Romelu Lukaku heading a late winner.
HullCity also twice came back from a goal down to win 3-2 at Newcastle United and Stephane Sessegnon scored against his former club as West Bromwich Albion beat bottom side Sunderland 3-0.
Aston Villa's Libor Kozak came off the bench to score his first goal for the club in a 1-0 win at NorwichCity.
Champions Manchester United visit local rivals ManchesterCity on Sunday when Arsenal take on StokeCity and Tottenham Hotspur go to CardiffCity.
Image: Chelsea players celebrate after John Obi Mikel scored the second goal against Fulham
Photograph: Charlie Crowhurst/Getty Images
