On Saturday the Tigers briefly went joint top of the Barclays Premier League - before Liverpool beat Chelsea yesterday - on 20 points thanks to a stunning 3-0 win at fellow top-flight new boys West Brom.

Kamil Zayatte, Geovanni and Marlon King struck in a 20-minute spell in the second half to secure victory, but City now face Chelsea and Manchester United in the next week.

Whatever has come to pass by next Saturday evening, however, Brown insists his side are now worthy of everyone's respect.

"If you get 20 points from nine games you are going to be somewhere near the top," he said.

"We have now got a couple of massive games on the horizon and we have earned the right to go into them and give a good account of ourselves, instead of everyone classing us as whipping boys.

"It is Champions League form - but that is what it is, form. That is temporary."

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed he had been forced to haul off Wayne Rooney during his side's 1-1 draw at Everton due to the lack of protection being offered by Mike Riley.

Rooney had become involved in a heated incident in the 68th minute after he had been booked for a bad challenge on Mikel Arteta.

In the wake of the booking, Rooney clearly kissed the United badge on his shirt and gestured to the fans, who have always booed him since he left the club in 2004.

After the badge-kissing incident, referee Wiley called Rooney to him for a lecture.

And within a minute Ferguson, already on the touchline, took off the England striker and sent on Nani.

Ferguson said: "The crowd were reacting, I did feel he might get sent off so I had to take him off.

"I just didn't think the referee was giving our players proper protection, I saw some bad tackles and it is the referee's job to protect players.

"I don't know why he (Rooney) was booked and I had fears about the referee, the crowd were reacting and I thought he might be sent off. I had to take him off."

Darren Fletcher had given United a deserved first-half lead before Everton regrouped and hit back through Marouane Fellaini after the break.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane believes the 2-1 victory over Newcastle not only earned his side bragging rights in the north east, it also showed how far the Black Cats have come under his leadership.

In a game marred by crowd trouble on the final whistle, Kieran Richardson scored the winner with a brilliant free-kick after Djibril Cisse and Shola Ameobi had exchanged first-half strikes.

Asked if it was important to have come out on top of their local rivals at home for the first time in 28 years, Keane said: "If it means we are making progress, then yes, of course.

"But we have to remember how many years Newcastle and Middlesbrough have been ahead of this football club.

"We can't get on the high horse and start thinking we have achieved anything, far from it.

"As I keep saying, it is another small step in what we are trying to achieve at the football club.

"Even people who haven't got a clue about football can see we are making progress."

Benni McCarthy's injury-time header salvaged a point for Blackburn in their 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough at Ewood Park, after Afonso Alves put the visitors ahead 16 minutes from time.

After the 5-0 mauling at home to Chelsea last weekend, Boro boss Gareth Southgate was more than happy with the performance.

"It was a good point, a good response. We have had a goal disallowed that was onside (from Tuncay Sanli) and scored a very good goal that might have won us the game," he said.

"We came into this in a week when we have been hammered from all quarters. We have given a performance that had character and resilience."