Stoke are set to demand the Football League award them three points after it emerged Sheffield Wednesday broke the rules over loan players.
League rules insist that no more than five loan players can be in the 16 named on a teamsheet ? but Wednesday included six.
Crucially, it was one of them, French winger Franck Songo'o, who scored the 81st minute equaliser that raised their hopes of escaping from the bottom three and toppled Stoke from top spot.
Songo'o, who arrived from Portsmouth three weeks ago, Graham Kavanagh (Sunderland) and Ben Sahar (Chelsea) started the game while Enoch Showunmi (Bristol City) went on as a late substitute as Adam Bolder (QPR) and latest loan signing, West Bromwich striker Bartosz Slusarski, stayed on the bench.
That careless error left Wednesday certain to face disciplinary action and, depending on the severity of the penalty imposed by the Football League, there could be an outcry from both ends of the Championship.
A League spokesman said yesterday: "All we can say at this stage is that the teamsheets from this game will be processed and analysed in due course and any necessary action will be considered when that has taken place."
The fact that only four of the loan players took to the field might tempt the League to take a lenient option by imposing a fine. But that would spark a furious protest and prompt those clubs who consider themselves the losers in the situation to seek legal redress.
There is so much at stake at both ends of the Championship and Stoke, who took the lead through Richard Cresswell, are certain to lead the outcry after dropping two points and being overtaken in top spot by Bristol City.
Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes yesterday confirmed they had taken the first steps towards mounting a strenuous protest.
He revealed: "We went straight on to the League on Saturday evening when the situation first become known to us and were told that it would be considered on Monday morning.
"We're now waiting to see what emerges before deciding whether it would be appropriate for us to consider any further action."
If Stoke do miss out on automatic promotion and then fail to claim a Premier League place via the play- offs it could cost them upwards of £35million.
Sources close to the club were yesterday hinting that they would immediately seek legal advice if Wednesday were to escape with a fine.
Wednesday chief executive Kaven Walker, who must share responsibility for the club' s embarrassment alongside manager Brian Laws, would only say: 'We are making no comment at this stage.'
It is understood, however, that Wednesday will contact the League this morning to admit breaking Football League rules while resisting any move to deduct the point they gained against Stoke.
Wednesday are privately adamant that they committed only a 'technical breach' of the rules that did not materially affect the result of the game.
They will also point out that another League rule states that clubs can only have four loan players on the field at any one time.
But looking at the rules:
