Manchester City opened up a four-point lead in the Premier League title race by thrashing Watford 5-1 and Arsenal seized the initiative in the battle for fourth spot on Saturday.
Brazilian Gabriel Jesus scored four goals as City applied pressure on chasing Liverpool ahead of their Merseyside derby on Sunday against struggling Everton.
Watford, meanwhile, suffered a fourth successive league defeat as their hopes of staying up receded.
Arsenal followed up their midweek win at Chelsea with a 3-1 home defeat of Manchester United to move into fourth place, ahead of Tottenham Hotspur who could only draw 0-0 away to Brentford in the day’s late kickoff.
Nuno Tavares struck early for Arsenal with Bukayo Saka doubling their lead from the penalty spot.
A sluggish United finally woke up with Cristiano Ronaldo sweeping in Nemanja Matic’s cross and they squandered a chance to level when Bruno Fernandes hit the post from the penalty spot before Granit Xhaka made sure of the points for the hosts with a 70th-minute thunderbolt.
“It’s a big performance in a game that had everything. We created chances, we had to suffer, there were moments when we lacked energy and they were on top, we were efficient in the boxes, we had luck,” Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said.
“This is going to be a rollercoaster — today it went in our favour.”
The win took Arsenal into fourth spot, two points above Tottenham Hotspur who were lacklustre in a stalemate at Brentford for whom Ivan Toney was twice denied by the woodwork.
Sixth-placed Manchester United, who announced earlier this week that Erik ten Hag would become their new manager, suffered a fourth successive away defeat in the league and their chances of qualifying for the Champions League are dwindling.
“For me even before the game it wasn’t very likely, but after today’s result it’s gone, yes,” interim boss Ralf Rangnick, who faces a tough task in his final four games, said.
The title race is predicted to go right down to the wire and Man City made sure they retained the slight edge as they swept Watford aside at The Etihad Stadium.
Jesus struck twice in the opening 24 minutes to put City in control but Watford briefly threatened to make a game of it as French defender Hassane Kamara halved the deficit.
A stunning strike from Spain international Rodri restored City’s two-goal advantage in the 34th minute before Jesus completed his first Premier League hat-trick early in the second half after converting from the penalty spot.
The 25-year-old tapped home his fourth in the 53rd minute from Kevin De Bruyne’s pass to complete the rout and City took their foot off the gas ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first-leg against Real Madrid.
City have 80 points from 33 matches with Liverpool on 76 having played a game less. Watford are in 19th place, seven points from the safety zone.
“We have one month of the season to go, we need players like Gabriel,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.
Time is running out for bottom club Norwich City who look destined for a quick return to the second-tier Championship after a 3-0 home defeat by in-form Newcastle United.
Newcastle’s Brazilian contingent fired Eddie Howe’s side up to ninth place with Joelinton scoring a brace and Bruno Guimaraes also on target at Carrow Road.
While Newcastle are on the up and up, Norwich are now eight points from safety with five matches left to play.
Liverpool won the Merseyside derby 2-0 on Sunday to move back to within a point of Premier League leaders Manchester City and push neighbours Everton into the relegation zone.
Everton’s troubles were enhanced by a rejuvenated Burnley beating Wolverhampton Wanders 1-0 at Turf Moor to move out of the bottom three for the first time since October.
Chelsea kept a grip on third place but needed a last-minute goal from American Christian Pulisic to beat West Ham United 1-0 at Stamford Bridge.
City, who beat lowly Watford 5-1 on Saturday, have 80 points from 33 games with Liverpool on 79 from the same number of matches. Chelsea are third on 65 with Arsenal in fourth spot on 60.
Liverpool found it hard going against a determined Everton at Anfield but it was derby specialist Divock Origi, usually a fringe player, who turned the game in favour of Juergen Klopp’s side.
Origi was brought on in the 60th minute along with Colombian winger Luis Diaz and Klopp’s switch paid instant dividends.
Two minutes after the change, Belgian forward Origi linked up with Mohamed Salah before the Egyptian floated a cross to the back post which was headed in by fullback Andy Robertson.
Then five minutes from the end, Origi made sure of the win heading in after a spectacular attempted volley from Luis Diaz bounced to him at the back post.
Origi has now scored six times in nine games against Everton in the Premier League.
“It is a nice record. When I go on the pitch, I just think about making plays and playing football. Today we needed it. It was a tough game; we knew it was going to be tough for the last games. Eventually we got the three points, so that’s the most important thing,” he said.
Everton face a nervy end to the season as they look to keep their record of never having been relegated since the creation of the Premier League.
Lampard’s side are now in 18th place on 29 points from 32 games while Burnley are two points ahead having played one game more.
The Clarets have now earned seven points from the three games since they sacked long-term manager Sean Dyche with caretaker Mike Jackson giving them renewed hope of survival.
A 62nd-minute goal from Czech forward Matej Vydra, who converted a low cross from Dutchman Wout Weghorst, was enough for Burnley against eighth-placed Wolves.
Chelsea ended a run of back-to-back home league defeats after substitute Pulisic arrived in the box at the right time to guide home a pass by Marcos Alonso in the 90th minute, shortly after Jorginho had seen a penalty saved by West Ham keeper Lukasz Fabianski.
West Ham defender Craig Dawson was shown a red card after a check by the Video Assistant Referee following a clumsy foul on substitute Romelu Lukaku which resulted in the penalty.
Stunning long-range goals in each half from captain James Ward-Prowse helped Southampton rescue a point at Brighton & Hove Albion with a 2-2 draw at the Amex Stadium.
Graham Potter’s side were cruising thanks to an early strike from Danny Welbeck and an own goal by Mohammed Salisu, but Ward-Prowse sparked a comeback after scoring directly from a free kick and completed it with a fierce low drive from 22 yards.
