CHARLTON 3 MAN UTD 3
So who said Manchester United's Premiership rivals were prepared to lie down in front of their supposedly remorseless march to the title? No one at the Valley, certainly.
And while Arsene Wenger may just have to rethink his recent claim in the light of Charlton's incredible comeback against the League leaders, this result will be as welcome in north London as it was in south-east London.
For United had appeared to be coasting towards their ninth consecutive Premiership victory at 3-1 ahead with 13 minutes left after overcoming their early disorganisation due to Sir Alex Ferguson's flirtation with new tactics.
However, Charlton, who took an early lead only to be pegged back by goals from a resurgent Ryan Giggs as well as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Roy Keane, were not to be denied.
There was a passion about Alan Curbishley's side that was startling. They were playing like men possessed and there was no question of this Charlton side being intimidated by United.
On-loan South African international Shaun Bartlett, who had put them ahead on his home debut, struck his second goal of the game with 12 minutes left.
And then substitute Paul Robinson provided the perfect finale to a thrilling end-to-end game as he struck the equaliser with just three minutes remaining on the clock.
Giggs was certainly unfortunate not to be on a winning side, given that he produced a superb all-round display on his return to the starting line-up for the first time in a month and he played a part in all three United goals.
However, the one Achilles heel of Ferguson's current side is their defence in the continued absence of Jaap Stam and this time they paid the price for weaknesses at the back as well as resting a host of first-choice players.
Ferguson had certainly also came unstuck when he fielded a weakened side at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League earlier this season.
And with five changes to his midweek European line-up as well as a new-look 4-5-1 formation, United were completely disorganised early on.
With Fabien Barthez, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham, Paul Scholes and Denis Irwin all rested, Charlton were meanwhile inspired after back-to-back defeats against Sunderland and Liverpool.
With Solskjaer up front on his own, while Luke Chadwick and Giggs attempted to support him from the flanks and David Beckham part of a central midfield trio, United were confused and overrun.
Raimond van der Gouw denied Jonatan Johansson's powerful header and then Bartlett beat the keeper only for the ball to strike the inside of the post and rebound to safety across the face of the goal.
It was no surprise at all when Charlton took a deserved ninth-minute lead as Radostin Kishishev and Graham Stuart combined superbly down the right flank to cross for Bartlett.
The South African international stole in to meet the ensuing cross and place his header between van der Gouw and the near post for the first goal that United had conceded in the Premiership in 338 minutes' action.
With Johansson also striking an effort narrowly past the far post after breaking clear down the centre, United were decidedly fortunate not to fall 2-0 behind before Ferguson finally admitted his tactical blunder.
Then again, at least he had not adopted the Mr Micawber - or Kevin Keegan - attitude of hoping that something would turn up.
Instead he acted, with Giggs moving forward to support Solskjaer down the centre, Beckham shifted to the right wing and Chadwick to the left as United resumed their normal 4-4-2 formation.
From then on, Charlton were under increasing pressure at the back, with keeper Dean Kiely rising to the challenge to deny Giggs.
Although van der Gouw also had to tip a free-kick by Claus Jensen around the post and Richard Rufus narrowly headed the ensuing corner over the bar, United were not to be denied.
They have scored in each of their past eight consecutive Premiership victories and levelled the scoreline just three minutes before the break as Solskjaer squared the ball for Giggs to this time curl his effort beyond Kiely's dive.
Then with the kind of impudence shown by Beckham when he scored against Wimbledon from the halfway line a couple of years ago, Giggs played a crucial role in United's second.
The winger struck a half-volley with his left foot from 40 yards out which, unlike Beckham's famous effort, hit the crossbar, but Solskjaer was unmarked to stroke home the rebound from close range.
Charlton needed keeper Kiely to keep them in the game after the interval as he recovered superbly to save from Solskjaer after Giggs had initially gone round him and crossed just behind for his unmarked team-mate.
Kiely then blocked Keane's shot after a typical barnstorming run from midfielder, while the Irish international also flashed a drive narrowly wide.
He was not to be denied a third time, however, and after approach work from who else but Giggs, Keane feinted to cross before picking his spot and beating Kiely even though the keeper got a hand to the ball.
That appeared to be it, but Ferguson took off both Beckham and Keane and was made to pay for his decisions again as his team's fortunes turned.
Charlton's never-say-die attitude led to Bartlett converting Kishishev's cross and then Robinson beating van der Gouw with a strike just inside the far post.
Charlton were given a standing ovation off the pitch at the end. They had truly deserved it.