Papiss Cisse dragged Newcastle nine points clear of the relegation zone with a dramatic injury-time winner to beat Stoke 2-1.
The Senegal international struck two minutes into stoppage time to complete a comeback after the Potters had threatened to snatch victory at St James' Park.
Jonathan Walters had given the visitors the lead against the run of play from the penalty spot with 67 minutes gone, but Yohan Cabaye's superb free-kick six minutes later set the stage for Cisse's last-gasp winner.
The win was just what manager Alan Pardew had asked for to end a good week and while it was deserved on the balance of play in front of a crowd of 50,703, it looked like evading his side until very late on.
Steven Gerrard's late penalty gave Liverpool a thrilling 3-2 win against Tottenham in a topsy-turvy game at Anfield.
Luis Suarez edged the battle of the player of the year contenders as he scored and earned the match-winning penalty to eclipse Gareth Bale and keep the home side's slim top-four hopes alive.
The Premier League's leading scorer drew first blood with his 29th of the season - and 22nd in the top flight - and, although his opposite number had a hand in both of Tottenham's goals, the Uruguay international had the last laugh by winning the late spot-kick from which Gerrard scored.
Centre-back Jan Vertonghen had scored twice after Suarez had put the home side ahead only for calamitous misjudgements by Kyle Walker and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris to gift Stewart Downing the equaliser.
FA CUP NEWS ...
Manchester City will play either city rivals Manchester United or fellow Barclays Premier League giants Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals.
The draw, conducted at Wembley immediately after United's 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Old Trafford, pitched the eventual winners of the replay against City, who beat Barnsley 5-0 on Saturday.
Millwall and Blackburn also drew earlier in the day and will replay on Wednesday, with the winner to face Wigan, who swept aside Everton 3-0 on Saturday.
The semi-finals will be played at the national stadium over the weekend of April 13 and 14.