(CNN) -- Captain Carlos Tevez scored twice as Manchester City went top of the English Premier League after winning a seven-goal thriller at home to lowly Wolverhampton on Saturday.
The result put City a point ahead of local rivals Manchester United, who have played three fewer matches ahead of Sunday's trip to Tottenham.
Arsenal stayed within two points of City after beating bottom club West Ham 3-0 in the late match, while defending champions Chelsea moved above Tottenham into fourth with a 2-0 win over Blackburn.
Wolves beat City at home on October 30, and Serbian midfielder Nenad Milijas followed up his opening goal in that match with another deadlock breaker in the 12th minute.
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City leveled five minutes before halftime as defender Kolo Toure scored from close range, and Tevez made it 2-1 soon after the break as he waltzed past the Wolves defense.
Kolo's brother Yaya extended the lead in the 53rd minute after starting a move in his own half before being set up by Tevez and new striker Edin Dzeko.
Tevez, being watched by his two young children on a rare trip to England, headed home a cross from fellow Argentine Pablo Zabaleta in the 66th minute before being substituted.
His double took him level with United striker Dimitar Berbatov as the league's top scorers on 14.
Wolves hit back as striker Kevin Doyle scored a penalty just two minutes later after being fouled by former Wolves defender Joleon Lescott, and Ronald Zubar set up a tense finish in the 85th minute when his header was ruled to have crossed the line despite Nigel de Jong's attempts to clear.
Robin van Persie netted twice as Arsenal piled more pressure on West Ham manager Avram Grant in a one-sided London derby.
The Israeli is widely expected to be replaced by former Aston Villa and Celtic boss Martin O'Neill according to pre-match reports in Britain, and his position was left further in doubt after an 11th defeat in 23 matches.
After the match, Grant applauded the West Ham fans and threw his club scarf into the crowd.
West Ham had lost only once in seven previous matches, but with several key players missing rarely looked like testing an Arsenal team who took the lead in the 13th minute through Van Persie after Samir Nasri dummied a low cross by Theo Walcott.
The Dutchman hit the post just after half an hour, and then provided the second goal in the 41st minute for young England winger Theo Walcott, who evaded West Ham's on-loan debutant Wayne Bridge to reach double figures for the first time in his career.
Former England defender Bridge had a tough night as he also fouled Walcott for Van Persie's second goal, from the penalty spot in the 77th minute.
It was a return to form for Arsenal, who lost 1-0 to Ipswich in the midweek first leg of the League Cup and face an FA Cup replay on Wednesday against another second division team, Leeds.
Chelsea lifted the pressure on manager Carlo Ancelotti with a much-needed victory at home to Blackburn.
Serbian defender Branislav Ivanovic ended a frustrating wait for the first goal with a low shot in the 57th minute, and his header from a corner 19 minutes later allowed French striker Nicolas Anelka to score his 12th career goal against Blackburn.
The result put Chelsea two points ahead of London rivals Tottenham, having played one more match, while Blackburn remained on 28 points in 11th behind Blackpool and Newcastle on goal difference.
Promoted Blackpool, who have played two fewer games, were unable to build on Tuesday's 2-1 win over Liverpool as Ian Holloway's team fell to a 3-2 defeat at West Brom.
West Brom joined Liverpool and Everton on 25 points ahead of Sunday's Merseyside derby, as Nigeria striker Peter Odemwingie's 87th-minute winner ended his team's run of five league defeats.
Odemwingie also netted a 37th-minute equalizer after Blackpool took an early lead through David Vaughan, while James Morrison put the home side ahead on 56 before Gary Taylor-Fletcher leveled with 10 minutes left.
Stoke joined seventh-placed Bolton on 30 points with a 2-0 home victory over Owen Coyle's team, as Danny Higginbotham opening the scoring in the first half and Matthew Etherington sealing it in the second with a penalty.
Wigan moved a point above third-bottom Wolves following a 1-1 draw with Fulham, who earned a point when former England striker Andy Johnson came off the bench to score in the 86th minute.
The home side led through Hugo Rodallega's 57th-minute goal, and the Colombia striker also hit the post twice, but Fulham fought back to move two points clear of the relegation zone.
Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier, whose team are second from bottom ahead of Sunday's derby with fellow strugglers Birmingham, boosted his squad with the signing of midfielder Jean Makoun.
The 27-year-old has joined until mid-2014 from Houllier's former French club Lyon.
In Sunday's other match, sixth-placed Sunderland host local rivals Newcastle, hoping to avenge the 5-1 defeat at St. James' Park on October 31.
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