Top faced bottom at Molineux and the underdogs came away with all three points as champions Manchester United went down 1-0 at Wolves.
Kenny Miller secured the shock victory for the home side running clean through to score the second half winner and take the men from the Black Country off the bottom of the table.
That result gave Arsenal the chance to go top with three points at Villa Park and they took the opportunity with both hands – albeit in controversial fashion.
Thierry Henry gave the Gunners the lead with a quickly free-kick taken while the Villa defence was still organising themselves, a decision which infuriated David O’Leary and his players.
The Villa boss said: “It was a joke decision in my opinion.
“We did what the ref said and were waiting for a whistle after that. My players said he told them to move back and they waited for the whistle.”
The home side’s misery was then compounded with the award of a second half penalty when Nwankwo Kanu ran into Villa captain Olof Mellberg. Henry dispatched the spot kick to further incense O’Leary.
“No chance that it was a penalty,’ complained O’Leary. ‘They know it themselves. At least it’s out there and everyone has seen it. It wasn’t a penalty – end of story.”
Meanwhile Chelsea failed to take full advantage of Manchester United’s slip up, only managing a 0-0 draw with battling Birmingham City at Stamford Bridge.
Wolves’ famous win meant that Leeds hit bottom as they went down 2-1 at Southampton.
Brett Ormerod gave the Saints the lead in the first half before Kevin Phillips scored his first league goal since the opening day of the season.
Matthew Kilgallon headed in his first ever senior goal with 15 minutes remaining to give the visitors hope but it proved to be too little too late.
Fellow strugglers Leicester were seconds away from escaping the drop zone but two stoppage time Middlesbrough goals meant they had to settle for a point and a 3-3 draw at the Riverside.
As a result Portsmouth remained fourth from bottom despite going down 1-0 at Bolton thanks to a Kevin Davies strike.
Charlton kept their place in the fourth and final Champions League place following a solid 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park. Former Toffee Graham Stuart struck the only goal of the game on the stroke of half time.
That win was made all the more important as Liverpool were beaten 2-1 away at Tottenham. A Robbie Keane penalty and Heldar Postiga’s first league goal for the club since his £6.25m summer move put Spurs in charge until Harry Kewell set up a tense finish.
Elsewhere Manchester City’s run without a win continued as Blackburn held them to a 1-1 draw at the City of Manchester Stadium. Nicolas Anelka curled in a free-kick to give City the lead but not for long as Garry Flitcroft hit home a close range equaliser for the visitors.
