Manchester City remain five points adrift of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League after slumping to a 1-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Burnley.
City, who again failed to produce anything like their best form with a Champions League game at Barcelona awaiting on Wednesday, offered little threat as the Clarets produced a superb team performance.
Midfielder George Boyd made the breakthrough just after the hour, firing home a fierce low 20-yard shot after a free-kick was headed into his path by Vincent Kompany.
Defending champions City were denied a penalty in injury-time when Ben Mee challenged Pabolo Zabaleta, who went to ground inside the penalty area.
Chelsea now have two games in hand, and can extend their lead with victory against Southampton on Sunday.
Arsenal ensured they will end the weekend in third place with a 3-0 victory at home to London rivals West Ham United.
After seeing a number of chances go begging during the first half, Arsenal took the lead just before the break when Olivier Giroud latched onto the ball in the area and smashed a superb shot past Adrian in the West Ham goal.
The hosts finally increased their advantage on 81 minutes when Giroud laid on a pass for Aaron Ramsey to fire home, and substitute Mathieu Flamini added a third soon afterwards as he turned home a Santi Cazorla cross.
Aston Villa scored four first-half goals to pile the pressure on Sunderland manager Gus Poyet as Tim Sherwood's side ran out 4-0 winners at the Stadium of Light.
Christian Benteke opened the scoring in the 16th minute before Gabriel Agbonlahor netted a second for the visitors within two minutes.
The English forward added another eight minutes from half-time with a number of Sunderland fans fans leaving the ground early, and it got worse for those who stayed.
Villa had scored just four goals in their 14 previous league away games combined, but Leandro Bacuna notched his second assist of the game to tee up Benteke for Villa's fourth a minute from the interval to spark angry scenes at the Stadium of Light.
Poyet's side kept the visitors at bay for the second half but the defeat leaves them just four points above the relegation zone, while Sherwood picked up his third straight win as Villa boss.
West Bromwich Albion edged past Stoke City 1-0 as Tony Pulis enjoyed victory against his former club.
Brown Ideye opened the scoring on 19 minutes when slack defending allowed him to head home a Craig Gardner cross, and he thought he had a second only to be flagged for offside.
West Brom, who saw goalkeeper Ben Foster substituted in the second half with a knee injury, might have had a penalty on 75 minutes when Geoff Cameron appeared to bring down Craig Dawson, but the referee waved play on.
Crystal Palace earned a convincing 3-1 win over Queens Park Rangers at Selhurst Park to boost their Premier League survival hopes and leave Chris Ramsey's side locked in a relegation battle.
Palace went ahead when Wilfried Zaha turned home a cross, although the former Manchester United man was involved in a nasty collision with the post in the aftermath.
James McArthur added a second for Alan Pardew's side five minutes from half-time, and the Eagles were three up moments later, with Joel Ward curling home from inside the area after fine work on the right from Zaha.
Matt Phillips scored his first Premier League goal for QPR with a sensational 40-yard effort eight minutes from time and went close with another long-range effort late on, but the visitors could not push for a comeback.
Nikica Jelavic missed a glorious first-half chance for 10-man Hull City as Steve Bruce's side were held to a goalless draw by Leicester City at the KC Stadium.
Tom Huddlestone teed up Jelavic for a simple tap-in 20 minutes in, but the striker missed the ball from five yards out and fell over with the goal gaping.
Huddlestone saw red for a second bookable offence 20 minutes from the end, but both sides missed late chances as Nigel Pearson's side remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.