After a Champagne Sunday, leaders Chelsea got back to the bread and butter of churning out Premier League points with Eden Hazard's header sealing a 1-0 victory at cross-town rivals West Ham United.
Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane struck deep in added time to rescue a 2-2 home draw at home to West Ham United, while Liverpool's top-four hopes were fuelled by a 2-0 win at Southampton in the Premier League.
Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Burnley as rivals Manchester City thrashed Newcastle United 5-0 to leave Jose Mourinho smouldering with rage after the title race was injected with new life.
A late Willian strike snatched a 1-0 home win for Chelsea over a stubborn Everton side to maintain their seven-point lead over Manchester City, who won 4-1 at Stoke City in the Premier League.
Aston Villa's unbroken stay in the Premier League is in dire peril after a 2-0 defeat at Hull City left the free-falling Midlands club in the relegation zone.
Arsenal climbed into the Premier League's top four with a laboured 2-1 win against spirited Leicester City and Liverpool continued their push with a pulsating 3-2 home defeat of rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Chelsea playmaker Cesc Fabregas is likely to be back for the home game with Everton in the Premier League in midweek after missing two matches with a hamstring problem.
Manchester United's Daley Blind struck in added time to rescue a 1-1 draw at a determined West Ham United but they missed the chance to move up to third place in the Premier League.
England striker Daniel Sturridge celebrated his return after a five-month injury layoff when he came off the bench to score as Liverpool beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League.
Chelsea re-asserted themselves as Premier League leaders with a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United as champions Manchester City were held to a draw at Everton.
Tottenham Hotspur spent the cash earned from Gareth Bale's sale on a plethora of internationals but the key to the remarkable 5-3 win over Chelsea, and their best player this season, had been there all along.
For the second time in a week Manchester City threw away a 2-0 lead against a Premier League struggler but this time they hit back as Frank Lampard came off the bench to secure a 3-2 win over Sunderland.
Manchester City squandered a gilt-edged opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea when they let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to struggling Burnley.
John Terry's early header and Cesc Fabregas's second-half strike restored Chelsea's three-point Premier League lead heading into a busy Christmas programme after a 2-0 win at Stoke City.
Alan Pardew suffered the ignominy of becoming the first Newcastle United manager to lose four successive Tyne-Wear derbies against Sunderland after Adam Johnson's late goal subjected his team to more misery against their arch-rivals.
A stoppage time goal by a heavily-bandaged Martin Skrtel spared Liverpool another deflating defeat as they drew 2-2 at home to Arsenal in the Premier League.
You would have got long odds at the start of the season on Sam Allardyce leading West Ham United into the Premier League's top four when his job was under the microscope and fan discontent was bubbling away in the background.
David Silva sparkled for Manchester City with two goals in a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace that wiped out Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League table and added festive spice to the title race.
The difference in fortunes since Liverpool won 3-0 away to Manchester United in March was illustrated when Louis Van Gaal's team reversed that scoreline today.
Manchester City attacker Samir Nasri has insisted that he will have no problem leaving the club if they decide to sell him.