Manchester City have survived a spirited Leicester City fightback to earn a thrilling 6-3 victory on Monday (NZ time) - a ninth Premier League win in a row moving them six points clear at the top of the table.
With second-placed Liverpool not in action after their clash with Leeds United was postponed due to COVID-19 cases at the Yorkshire club, City appeared out of sight midway through the first half at the Etihad Stadium.
The in-form champions raced into a fifth-minute lead through Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, before a Riyad Mahrez penalty put the hosts in control nine minutes later.
Things went from bad to worse for a Leicester side struggling to replicate last season's form, with Ilkay Gundogan and another penalty, converted by Raheem Sterling, giving the hosts a four-goal lead inside 25 minutes.
Despite looking dead and buried, Leicester stormed back in the second half as goals from James Maddison, Ademola Lookman and Kelechi Iheanacho threatened to derail the league leaders.
Aymeric Laporte's 69th-minute header and Sterling's late second took the champions over the line, however, as they moved on to 47 points, six clear of Liverpool, from 19 matches. Leicester dropped to 10th
Arsenal cruised to a 5-0 win at bottom side Norwich City, with Bukayo Saka's double helping them to secure the victory, as they consolidated fourth place in the Premier League.
The win takes Arsenal to 35 points from 19 games after their fourth straight league victory, just over two years since manager Mikel Arteta's first match in charge of the Gunners.
The visitors took the lead after six minutes through Saka, who stroked the ball past Angus Gunn following a neat passing move that led to Martin Odegaard laying the ball into the forward's path.
Tierney scored the second goal on the break just before halftime, with Odegaard again providing the killer pass for the Scotland left back, who struck a low shot into the net.
England forward Saka grabbed Arsenal's third in the 67th minute with another low strike, before Lacazette was fouled in the box and got up to stroke home the spot kick in the 84th.
Substitute Emile Smith Rowe wrapped up the win with a simple tap-in during added time to complete the rout at Carrow Road.
Romelu Lukaku came off the bench to lead Chelsea to a 3-1 victory at Aston Villa, with midfielder Jorginho scoring two penalties.
Villa had taken the lead in the 28th minute with some good fortune, when Matt Targett's cross struck the head of Chelsea defender Reece James and flew past goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Thomas Tuchel's side drew level six minutes later, though, when Matty Cash clumsily brought down Callum Hudson-Odoi inside the box and Jorginho coolly converted the penalty.
Halftime substitute Lukaku made a swift impact with a fine, angled, glancing header from a Hudson-Odoi cross to put Chelsea ahead in the 56th minute.
In stoppage time, Lukaku was brought down inside the box by Villa defender Ezri Konsa and Jorginho again made no mistake to secure three points for Chelsea who are level with second placed Liverpool on 41 points.
James Ward-Prowse scored one and created another, as Southampton dug deep to earn a much-needed 3-2 win over West Ham United in a pulsating game at the London Stadium.
A lethargic opening from the home side allowed Southampton to take the lead after eight minutes, when Mohamed Elyounoussi lashed home with his left foot from the edge of the box following a driving run from Kyle Walker-Peters.
West Ham, who had one win in five Premier League games coming into the match, created little going forward, as Southampton keeper Fraser Forster remained largely untroubled during the first half.
West Ham manager David Moyes turned to his bench after the break and substitute Michail Antonio made an instant impact, when he headed home from close range in the 49th minute, before Ward-Prowse restored the away side's advantage from the spot just after the hour-mark.
A revitalised West Ham hit back three minutes later through Said Benrahma, but Jan Bednarek grabbed the winner in the 70th minute, after deftly turning in a curling free kick from Ward-Prowse.
The win is Southampton's first since November 5 and moves them up to 14th in the table with 20 points from 18 games, eight points behind sixth-placed West Ham.
Brazilian Lucas Moura has inspired Tottenham Hotspur to a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace that stretched their unbeaten Premier League run under new manager Antonio Conte to six games in murky north London.
Moura created goals for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and bagged one himself, as Tottenham comfortably beat a Palace side for whom manager Patrick Vieira missed the game because of a positive COVID-19 test.
While victory moved Tottenham up to fifth in the table, it proved a dispiriting day for Palace, who were reduced to 10 men in the 37th minute when Wilfried Zaha was sent off.
By that time Tottenham were well in control, after Kane swept in from Moura's pass before Moura headed the second.
Son wrapped up the Boxing Day win with his side's third from close range in the 74th minute.
Tottenham have 29 points, six less than fourth-placed Arsenal but have played three games fewer after having two matches postponed this month because of COVID-19.
Reuters.
