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Chelsea continued to assert their dominance at the top of the Premier League this weekend after beating Hull 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to go eight points clear.
But it was results elsewhere that held more significance as Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and even mid-table certainties Manchester United all dropped points.
Everton, West Brom and West Ham all recorded huge wins as they continue their push towards the elusive top-six.
There was more misery at the foot of the table as Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace fell to their fourth defeat in five games.
And things are also looking fairly bleak for the hapless Sunderland, who lost for the 15th time this season after crumbling in a 2-0 defeat at West Brom.
Here are nine talking points from an exhilarating, thrilling and crucial weekend of Premier League football.
9. Toffees Refuse to Lie Down as Gap Shortens to Top-Six
Ronald Koeman’s Everton won for the fifth time in seven outings on Saturday, leaving it late to beat Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace 1-0 at Selhurst Park.
The Toffees are now just five points behind Manchester United in 6th, and nine points off rivals Liverpool in the Champions League places.
With the next four games against Stoke, Bournemouth, Middlesbrough and Sunderland coming up, Koeman’s side can now look up as they aim to secure European football next season.
Seamus Coleman’s 87th minute winner was the 12th goal Everton have scored in the final 10 minutes of games this season, and if they can keep that up it will certainly be difficult to write them off sneaking into the top-six by May.
8. Things Aren’t Going to Plan for Seasoned Relegation Survivor Sam Allardyce
Crystal Palace’s decision to sack Alan Pardew and appoint Sam Allardyce in December in order to avoid relegation seems to be backfiring spectacularly.
The Eagles have picked up just one point in their last five games under the command of Big Sam, and he will certainly be made even more nervous this weekend after his side slipped into the relegation zone.
Palace now have five season-defining games coming up against lower sides in the division, they have trips to Bournemouth, Stoke and West Brom as well as home-games against fellow strugglers Sunderland and Middlesbrough.
The former England manager will surely need two or three wins in order to ease the pressure on his faltering side.
7. Spurs Show Mental Strength in 2-2 Draw at Manchester City
Tottenham retain their status as the hardest team to beat in this season’s Premier League after they came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Manchester City on Saturday.
Spurs have now gained 14 points from losing positions so far this season, the most out of any team in the league, and they shouldn’t be written off in the title-race just yet.
Spurs have two winnable games against Sunderland and Middlesbrough coming up next and if they can earn all six-points, we could well see the gap to Chelsea, who play Liverpool and Arsenal next, slashed to within striking distance.
6. Liverpool Stunned By Swans at Anfield
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool fell to their first Anfield defeat of the season on Saturday, losing 3-2 to Premier League strugglers Swansea.
Brazilian star Roberto Firmino provided a lifeline for the Reds in the second-half, clawing the score back to 2-2 after Fernando Llorente put the visitors ahead with a brace.
But Firmino’s quick-fire double was to no avail because Gylfi Sigurdsson scored an emphatic and vital winner for Swansea, who now climb out of the relegation zone for the first time in 2017.
Liverpool’s inability to beat lesser sides this season looks like it will prove costly as they are now 10 points behind the pace after 22 games.
5. Gunners Strike Lucky as Burnley’s Woeful Away Form Continues
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger threw an almighty strop on Sunday as he thought his side squandered two points after conceding a stoppage-time penalty against Burnley.
He argued the call, despite it being a blatant penalty, seeing himself banished to the tunnel as a result.
But his anger turned to jubilation just minutes later as Arsenal were handed a highly-dubious penalty of their own, one which Alexis Sanchez coolly tucked away to steal all three-points from Sean Dyche’s side.
Despite making tough work of it, the win over Burnley, who have picked up just one point away from home all season, leaves Arsenal in 2nd and eight points behind runaway league-leaders Chelsea.
4. There’s Simply No Looking Past Chelsea for the Title This Season
Chelsea demonstrated, once again, their astute ability to secure all three points on Sunday after beating Hull City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
With four of the top-six dropping points, it was a key weekend for the Blues, who are now eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.
If they can nab a result at Anfield next Tuesday we could well see Antonio Conte’s side runaway with the title just how they did in 2014/15, when they won the league after finishing eight points above Manchester City.
3. Pep Guardiola’s Premier League Dream Is Up in Smoke
Manchester City completely dominated Tottenham for 55 minutes on Sunday, going two goals ahead through Leroy Sane and Kevin de Bruyne, but it wasn’t enough as the plucky Lilywhites did what they do best by coming back from a losing position to gain points.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side clawed two goals back, meaning that they have now earned 14 points from losing positions this season, the most out of any Premier League team.
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, will be scratching his head until the sun goes down as he watched his side slip a daunting 12 points behind league-leaders Chelsea.
City have now failed to win in nine of their 22 league games so far this season, something that Pep Guardiola is almost certainly not used to.
2. Who Needs Payet? I Just Don’t Think You Understand
West Ham stormed to their second consecutive win on Saturday after smashing Middlesbrough 3-1 at the Riverside.
And while speculation continues to surround Dimitri Payet’s future at the club, it’s quite clear that the Hammers are better off without the sulking prima donna as they made their way into the top-half of the table for the first time in months.
At this point last season, Payet’s impact at the club was clear for all to see, West Ham won just 14% of games in the Frenchman’s absence, but it’s a different story this time around.
This season West Ham have won a staggering 75% of games without Payet, and only 28% with him in the side.
The sooner Marseille stump up West Ham’s asking price and Payet leaves east-London, the better for all parties involved.
1. Rooney – You’ve Got Your Record Now It’s Time to Go
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney capped off a wonderful weekend with a record-breaking goal against Stoke City on Saturday.
The goal saw the 31-year-old become Man Utd’s leading all-time goalscorer, surpassing the great Bobby Charlton on 249 goals for the club.
But even with a tremendous record in the bag, it may still be time to move Rooney on this January with mega-offers from the Chinese Super League reportedly on the table.
Rooney remained coy on his future on Saturday, telling Sky Sports: “Football is a strange game. Anything can happen and things change very quickly but I am happy at Manchester United.”
As any Man Utd fan you speak to may agree, Rooney’s time in the limelight, and the first-team, is sadly coming to an end and it might be best to cash in on him before his value dries up over the next 12 months.
