It put Stoke on 37 points along with Newcastle -- who held eighth-placed West Brom 1-1 -- and Sunderland, whose 1-0 win over Everton was the second successive victory for new manager Paolo Di Canio.
And it was Hughes's side who came out quickest, flooding forward and putting pressure on the inexperienced West Brom back-line which contained three enforced changes due to injuries.
Roberto Di Matteo is fired by Chelsea after a 3-0 away loss to Juventus in Champions League on the back of another away loss in the Premier League to West Brom 2-1.
While many familiar faces - the likes of Watford, West Brom and Charlton - are hoping for a return to the top flight, it is the Robins and the Potters who occupy the top two slots bringing automatic promotion.
Carsley said he also received offers from Derby and newly-promoted West Brom, but chose recently-relegated Birmingham.
Mick McCarthy 5-1 home loss to West Brom and within 24-hours Mick finds himself between opportunities.
FORBES: February 2012 Revisited - Slaps, Punches, Firings, Not Guilty.....And Some Soccer As Well
The draw moves Avram Grant's team out of the drop zone and above Birmingham, West Brom and Blackpool - all of whom play later on Saturday - into 15th.
The Potters provided a far sterner test than West Brom and Wigan - Chelsea's previous two opponents in a free-scoring start to the season - but they were unable to stop Carlo Ancelotti's side chalking up an eighth straight home league win.
"It will be difficult and edgy until the end but the only thing I can say is that we are ready for a fight, " Wenger said after two goals from Tomas Rosicky put Arsenal ahead against eighth-placed West Brom before defender Per Mertesacker's sending-off led to a penalty by James Morrison.
The Azzurri pressed hard for three points in a pulsating second half, but the All Whites stood firm and could have snatched a remarkable victory had 18-year-old West Brom forward Chris Wood not guided a late left-foot shot just wide of the post.
The 35-year-old hugely-respected manager - whom Celtic approached to replace to Gordon Strachan before the Parkhead turned to West Brom boss Tony Mowbray - is now set for an emotional return to Wigan after an eight year absence.
Roman Bednar's powerful header reinstated West Brom's two-goal cushion before James Hayter's header made for a nerve-wracking finale.
The 25-year-old former Birmingham and West Brom midfielder returned to the North End line-up for the 3-0 win at Barnsley on Tuesday.
It means Grant's side will be bottom of the table over Christmas, a position from which only one club in the last 18 seasons has escaped relegation - West Brom in 2005.
He has been busy in the transfer market, bringing in Darren Moore from West Brom on 26 January - and wrapping up the signing of former Sporting Lisbon player Silva on a month-long loan earlier on Monday.
BBC: Derby were dumped out of the FA Cup by League One Colchester
West Brom's back-to-back home wins over Tottenham and Manchester City last month dragged them back towards the pack at the foot of the Premier League table, and Greening reckons it is their form at the Hawthorns that will determine whether they can survive.
Sixth-placed Everton's Champions League hopes suffered a big blow with a 2-1 defeat at Norwich, while West Brom moved up to seventh with a 2-1 win at home to Sunderland thanks to a double from on-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.
CNN: Beckham 'excited' by possible 'Classique' debut for PSG
Arsenal finished third after a 3-2 win at West Brom to secure their Champions League place, while north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur beat Fulham 2-0 to take fourth.
League One Oldham Athletic and League Two Chester City have both offered Hartson a footballing lifeline following his departure from Championship high-fliers West Brom.
West Brom went close through Do-Heon Kim and Ishmael Miller, who both forced Manuel Almunia into action, while Johan Djourou made a clearance off the line.
At halftime, Capello brought on West Brom's Carson and in-form Tottenham striker Darren Bent in place of James and Defoe, who suffered a slight calf injury.
And Levein paid tribute to the part played in the fight-back by West Brom midfielder James Morrison, who had replaced misfiring talisman James McFadden after 45 minutes.
Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton said that he won't decide on whether to add more players to the squad until he sees the outcome of Wednesday night's Championship play-off between West Brom and Wolves.
BBC: SPORT | Football | Internationals | Republic squad hit by withdrawals
Benitez was cagey when asked about United's title win following his own side's 2-0 victory over West Brom.
Forwards Paul Parry and Steve Thompson are doubts after sustaining hamstring strains during Tuesday night's 0-0 draw against West Brom in the Championship.
Before his spell at the City Ground, Megson had also managed Norwich, Blackpool, Stockport and Stoke before a four-year reign at West Brom.
In division One, Shifnal (105-0, Tony Parton 60no) crushed Attock (101), and Wellington (140, Mark Downes 43) beat West Brom (132, Adam Byram 4-34).
Dimitar Berbatov's 88th-minute goal, along with Arsenal's 2-2 draw at West Brom, took United's lead at the top of the Premier League to five points.
Marc-Antoine Fortune wasted West Brom's best chance when he fired wide.
应用推荐