Under-fire Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol was mightily relieved after Spurs got their English Premier League season back on track.
The big-spending Dutch boss was under pressure to deliver results after his side lost both their opening games and sunk to the foot of the table.
But they took their frustration out on visitors Derby County, who were thrashed 4-0, while hosts Wigan Athletic beat Sunderland 3-0 to leave the Latics topping the table ahead of yesterday's matches.
PHOTO: AFP
"It's a relief because we need the points and to lose back-to-back games at home, it's impossible," Jol said. "We got the first three points, we're not bottom of the league any more and that is the main thing. When we fire as a team and a club we can be a force again."
Elsewhere, previous leaders Everton lost 1-0 at Reading, Portsmouth beat visitors Bolton Wanderers 3-1 and Middlesbrough won 2-1 at Fulham.
West Ham United won 1-0 at Birmingham City and Newcastle United shared a bore draw with visitors Aston Villa.
Last season's Championship play-off winners Derby County were made to suffer as Tottenham Hotspur ran riot at White Hart Lane.
French midfielder Steed Malbranque scored twice before England midfielder Jermaine Jenas made it 3-0 within 14 minutes.
Darren Bent, Jol's big pre-season signing, scored his first Spurs goal to ease the pressure on the Dutch boss.
"We were makers of our own downfall," grumbled Rams boss Billy Davies. "We've got to bring in more firepower and quality. Strikers are our number one target."
Roy Keane's Sunderland were overrun by Wigan Athletic in a 3-0 defeat at the JJB Stadium, leaving the Latics in the unusual position of topping the table.
Former Liverpool and England forward Emile Heskey scored -- though television replays showed he was offside -- before Denny Landzaat and Antoine Sibierski struck from the penalty spot.
"It's always about winning games and when you're winning games you get confident," Wigan boss Chris Hutchings said. "If you get quality players, they can deal with things and you expect them to produce, and in the last two games they have done."
Keane said: "Even after defeat, you look for some pluses. I don't know if you've found one but I haven't yet."
Reading beat Everton 1-0 at the Madejski Stadium thanks to Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Hunt's goal just before halftime.
"The workrate probably deserved a draw, but I don't think the way we played deserved it," Everton manager David Moyes said.
Royals boss Steve Coppell said: "I have had a respect for my team for a long while, and once again today their earned it in bucket-loads."
At Fratton Park, UEFA Cup side Bolton Wanderers third straight defeat heaped the pressure on boss Sammy Lee.
Portsmouth notched their first victory of the campaign as they beat the Trotters 3-1.
France striker Nicolas Anelka gave Bolton the lead but Nwankwo Kanu equalized, John Utaka scored and Matthew Taylor completed the rout from the penalty spot.
"We can turn it around. I've seen the progress and even though I'm not happy with losing, we will get it right," Bolton boss Sammy Lee said.
Middlesbrough put two straight defeats behind them as they came from a goal down to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage, with Boro's new striker Mido scoring on his debut.
Fulham's Brian McBride dislocated his left knee as he scored and Hameur Bouazza then dislocated his right shoulder.
A blunder by Cottagers goalkeeper Tony Warner diverted Mido's weak shot in and Boro won it with two minutes to go thanks to Lee Cattermole's cool finish.
"As soon as Mido went into the dressing room I could see the influence he was going to have at the club," Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate said.
England midfielder Kieron Dyer made his debut for West Ham United at Birmingham City after completing his transfer from Newcastle United.
But it was the Hammers' Mark Noble who stole the limelight with a 70th minute penalty, the only goal of the game.
"We are a pacy side who have got the ability to break and the confidence came back when we got going," West Ham boss Alan Curbishley said.
Newcastle United have not scored at home since February and there was no danger of that changing as the Magpies ground to a goalless draw with Aston Villa.
England striker Michael Owen made a welcome return from injury in Sam Allardyce's first league match at St James' Park as Newcastle manager.
"It could be five or six games before you see the sharp end of Michael Owen," Allardyce said.
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