Manchester City reduced Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League to two points with a thumping 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.
Centre-backs Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol set Pep Guardiola's side on their way with a quick-fire double before the break at the Etihad Stadium.
Phil Foden wrapped up the points after 65 minutes but his fifth goal in three games was as much about a moment of magic from Rayan Cherki.
The Frenchman set up Foden's header, which crashed in off the bar, with a superb cross.
That inspired moment effectively killed off the challenge of Sunderland, who finished with 10 men after substitute Luke O'Nien was sent off in stoppage time.
Prior to Foden's goal the Black Cats, who began the game in fifth, had been threatening to get back into the game.
City will now head to Real Madrid for their next Uefa Champions League outing on Wednesday in confident mood knowing their domestic title challenge is firmly back on.
City demonstrated patience to capitalise on Arsenal's slip-up at Aston Villa.
In the opening half-hour, Enzo Le Fee went close for Sunderland from distance.
City took control through the unlikely sources of Dias and Gvardiol.
Dias hit the first with a fine strike into the top corner from 25 yards in the 31st minute after edging forward to support an attack. Sunderland barely had chance to reset before City doubled their lead.
This time Gvardiol finished, timing his leap perfectly to head home at the back post from a Foden corner.
City stepped up the intensity and Erling Haaland, who touched the ball just twice in the whole first half, launched an attack with a charge upfield.
He fed Cherki out wide and the Frenchman produced a sublime assist for Foden to head in.
Setback for Arsenal
Mikel Arteta said Premier League leaders Arsenal will recover from the frustration of a dramatic 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa that blew the title race wide open.
Emiliano Buendia fired Villa's winner with the last kick of a pulsating game, ending the Gunners' 18-match unbeaten run in all competitions in the process.
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard had come off the bench to score a second half equaliser after Matty Cash's first half opener at Villa park.
It was Arsenal's first defeat since losing at Liverpool in August and only their second in the entire campaign.
The Gunners have a history of collapsing after establishing strong leads in the title battle.
They have finished as runners-up for the last three seasons and haven't been crowned champions since 2004.
But Arteta remains confident they will handle the mounting pressure.
“That is the league, you go to Old Trafford, you go to St James' Park, you go to Chelsea, you come here, we have been in a lot of difficult grounds,” he said.
“The result could have been different, the reality is not. We went 18 games unbeaten and still we are there, close to each other.
“That is the level of the league, we know that. That is the opportunity that we have ahead of us and that's it.
“Now it is time to bounce back, they have given me all the right reasons to think we are going to perform at the same level. We move on. We will learn from today and it will make us a better team.”
Also, Chelsea's title challenge is fading fast after three games without a win.
Cole Palmer's return to the starting line-up for the first time since September could not inspire the Blues as they were held 0-0 at Bournemouth to sit eight points off the lead in fourth.
Tottenham eased the pressure on Thomas Frank with their first home league win since the opening day of the season, against his former club Brentford.
Spurs were winless in five games in all competitions, but moved back into the top half with a 2-0 win courtesy of first-half goals from Richarlison and Xavi Simons.
Newcastle continued their upwards trajectory with a 2-1 win over 10-man Burnley to climb up to 10th.
Bruno Guimaraes opened the scoring directly from a corner before Anthony Gordon added a second from the penalty spot after Lucas Pires saw red for the visitors.
Sean Dyche's return to Everton as Nottingham Forest boss ended in a 3-0 defeat.
