Arsenal crushed Watford 4-0 and Manchester City hammered Bournemouth by the same score on Saturday as the faltering big guns breathed fresh life into their faint hopes of lifting the Premier League title.
Not even another free kick masterpiece from Dimitri Payet could inspire West Ham United in their push for a Champions League spot as they had Cheikhou Kouyate sent off in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.
At the other end of the table, Aston Villa's disillusioned fans made a long, loud protest as their side were humiliated 4-0 at home to Chelsea and now stand on the verge of relegation.
Newcastle United are hot favourites to join Villa in playing Championship football next season, going down 3-2 at fellow strugglers Norwich City, who celebrated a 93rd-minute winner from Martin Olsson.
Newcastle's great north-east rivals Sunderland are also in deeper trouble, now four points adrift of safety after a goalless home draw with West Bromwich Albion.
After losing three home games in a row, Arsenal rebounded to dominate Watford, who had knocked them out of the FA Cup at the Emirates Stadium last month, with Alexis Sanchez, Alex Iwobi, Hector Bellerin and Theo Walcott all on target.
Manchester City had lost four of their last six games but stopped the rot with a blistering start at Bournemouth, Fernando, Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero scoring within 19 minutes.
Arsenal are third, still eight points behind leaders Leicester City and three adrift of Tottenham Hotspur who are playing at Liverpool in Saturday's late game.
Manchester City are four points behind Arsenal in fourth, with West Ham now three points behind Manuel Pellegrini's side in fifth.
Chelsea's on-loan Brazilian international Alexandre Pato scored on his debut to help push pathetic Aston Villa to the verge of inevitable relegation with a seventh successive Premier League defeat on Saturday.
Pato, the former Milan starlet who has been kicking his heels since joining from Corinthians two months ago, came on as a 25th-minute substitute and was immediately involved in the move which led to Ruben Loftus-Cheek netting his first league goal.
On the verge of halftime, Pato -- known as 'the Duck' -- broke his duck, picking himself up after being fouled in the box by Aly Cissokho to convert from the penalty spot.
Villa, who got rid of manager Remi Garde in the week, were hopeless after the break as Pedro scored twice for Chelsea and the home fans' misery, amid sustained protests against owner Randy Lerner, was completed when Alan Hutton was sent off for a second yellow card offence.
