Manchester City were edged closer to the relegation zone by a 3-1 defeat at home to Southampton on a day when attention shifted to the painful end of the Barclaycard Premiership table.
With Blackburn and Portsmouth both winning today, City - who welcomed Kevin Keegan's return to the dug-out after a four-match absence with a back complaint - emerged as the side the bottom three will hope to catch.
James Beattie put the Saints in front after 34 minutes, heading home a cross from Marian Pahars and they doubled their lead 10 minutes into the second half when Kevin Phillips headed in.
Nicolas Anelka pulled a goal back after 78 minutes but Phillips netted his second to restore Southampton's two-goal lead.
Basement side Wolves, who started the day nine points from safety, proved they were still alive and kicking as they beat Middlesbrough 2-0.
Carl Cort put them ahead in the 28th minute, heading in Mark Clyde's cross from the right and Henri Camara netted a second after 62 minutes.
Middlesbrough have designs on Europe but the defeat could have been more convincing as Mark Schwarzer saved a late penalty from Camara.
There was also good news for Blackburn, who inflicted a 1-0 defeat on fellow relegation-battlers Leicester thanks to a first-half own-goal from Foxes defender Nikos Dabizas.
Chelsea could take no immediate advantage of Manchester United's earlier defeat to Portsmouth, as they were held to a goalless draw by Everton despite dominating the second half.
Edwin van der Sar saved a Steven Gerrard penalty in the second half of Fulham's 0-0 draw at Liverpool, a result which will do little to help the Anfield side's Champions League bid.
However, Birmingham and Charlton - two other sides with ambitions to play in Europe's premier club competition - played out a 1-1 draw at the Valley.
Clinton Morrison gave the visitors an 84th-minute lead but Matt Holland equalised for Charlton two minutes later.
Ivan Campo swept home Jay-Jay Okocha's cross to give Bolton a seventh-minute lead over Tottenham which was doubled by Henrik Pedersen in the 65th minute in the only Premiership game to have little riding on the outcome today.