Republic of Ireland attackers Callum Robinson and Tom Cannon both made their mark on an eventful day of Sky Bet Championship action.
Robinson fired home a brace against Watford to earn Cardiff City their first league away win of the season.
Robinson put Cardiff ahead inside the opening minute and struck his second after Giorgi Chakvetadze's equaliser to give the visitors a 2-1 half-time lead that they preserved.
Cannon's stoppage-time goal ended struggling Stoke City's long wait for a win as they snatched a 1-0 victory over promotion-chasing Sunderland.
The Potters were under the caretaker charge of Ryan Shawcross after sacking Narcis Pelach on Friday, and the club great wildly celebrated what was Stoke's first win in 10 games.
It lifted them four points clear of the relegation zone and it came following a superb performance in goal by Viktor Johansson, who produced a series of fine saves to thwart the visitors.
Leeds will head into 2025 top after a hard-fought 1-0 win at Derby.
Sheffield United had briefly returned to the summit following their lunchtime kick-off against West Brom, which ended 1-1 at Bramall Lane.
But Leeds closed out the year in pole position in the race for automatic promotion after Brenden Aaronson's solitary second-half strike secured them an eighth win in their last 10 matches.
Sheffield United had earlier leapfrogged their Yorkshire rivals despite being held by managerless West Brom.
Andre Brooks’ first goal for the Blades gave them the lead before Karlan Grant’s equaliser in first-half stoppage time earned the Baggies their first point since Carlos Corberan departed on Christmas Eve.
Ryan Longman's first goal of the season was enough to secure Hull their first away win since October and leave Blackburn with just one point from their last three matches.
Anis Mehmeti fired a first-half double as Bristol City beat Portsmouth 3-0 at Ashton Gate, with Rob Dickie also on target for the Robins. Back-to-back defeats have left Pompey second-bottom, two points from safety.
Marcelino Nunez's late strike rescued Norwich a point in a 1-1 draw against QPR at Carrow Road after Ante Crnac's own goal had given the visitors the lead just before half-time.
Myles Peart-Harris' stoppage-time header clinched Swansea a 2-1 home win against 10-man Luton, who slumped to their 10th league defeat on the road this season.
Goncalo Franco cancelled out Carlton Morris' early opener for Luton before the break and after visiting defender Joe Johnson had been sent off for his second bookable offence, Peart-Harris struck in the first minute of added time.
Coventry were held 0-0 at home by Millwall and Preston made it back-to-back league wins for the first time this season thanks to Emil Riis' double in a 3-1 home win against Sheffield Wednesday.
Danish forward Riis struck either side of Sam Greenwood's second-half penalty, which the latter converted five minutes after Josh Windass had struck a long-range equaliser for Wednesday.
Plymouth remain bottom after a 2-0 defeat at Oxford extended their winless league run to nine matches.
