Teemu Pukki took his goal tally for the season to 13 with a brace as Norwich returned to the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 4-1 victory over out-of-form Stoke at Carrow Road.
Todd Cantwell opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Pukki’s tap-in just before half-time gave the Canaries control.
Nick Powell was gifted possession to pull one back on the hour mark for Stoke, who are now winless in nine league games, only for Emi Buendia and Pukki to strike and take Norwich one point clear of Brentford.
Watford stayed fourth after a stunning first-half display saw them hammer Bristol City 6-0 at fortress Vicarage Road.
A combination of Ken Sema and Taylor Moore saw the Hornets go ahead early before Ismaila Sarr doubled the lead after 15 minutes, setting the platform for an 11th home win from 15 outings this season.
Will Hughes’ deflected strike and a Sema effort gave Watford a 4-0 lead inside 36 minutes, with Sarr and Philip Zinckernagel netting in the second half to condemn Bristol City to a seventh consecutive away league defeat.
Millwall scored two late goals to beat fifth-placed Reading 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium.
Alfa Semedo’s bizarre 17th-minute goal gave Reading the lead, when the defender’s attempted tackle flew in from 50 yards after Bartosz Bialkowski was out of position having thrown the ball out.
But Matt Smith levelled in the 76th minute and Mason Bennett headed in the winner five minutes from time.
Bournemouth remained sixth after a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest.
Glenn Murray had a header cleared off the line against his former side as Forest moved five points above the relegation zone, with Bournemouth making it three matches unbeaten under caretaker boss Jonathan Woodgate.
Middlesbrough failed to take advantage as Derby bolstered their survival hopes with a 2-1 victory at Pride Park.
Derby were 2-0 up inside 32 minutes after Lee Gregory nodded in from close range and Colin Kazim-Richards produced a stunning long-range strike.
On-loan Fulham forward Neeskens Kebano’s first Boro goal gave the visitors hope, but they remain six points off the Cherries as County moved three points above the bottom three.
Kieffer Moore's first-half double sent Cardiff on their way to a third consecutive win with a 3-1 success over struggling Coventry.
Jacob Murphy added a third just after half-time as the Bluebirds moved level with Boro, with Dominic Hyam netting a late consolation for the Sky Blues.
Birmingham remain second bottom after Dan Potts' first-half header gave Luton a 1-0 win at St Andrew's.
Rock-bottom Wycombe breathed new life into their survival bid by coming from two goals down to win 3-2 at Huddersfield.
Juninho Bacuna’s close-range header in the 18th minute and Isaac Mbenza’s effort just before half-time looked to be taking the Terriers to a first win in seven league matches.
But the Chairboys responded on the stroke of the interval through Anis Mehmeti, Joe Jacobson levelled from the penalty spot after 63 minutes and Josh Knight completed the comeback late on, leaving them 10 points from safety.
