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Chelsea thrashed Sunderland, Manchester United spoiled Brian Laws' Burnley bow and Stoke added to Liverpool's woes.
Wigan overcame Wolves at Molineux with both teams ending the match a man down, Hull City frustrated Tottenham at White Hart Lane and Portsmouth's meeting with Birmingham was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Chelsea produced a devastating display to put sorry Sunderland to the sword with four goals in the opening 34 minutes at Stamford Bridge, before eventually completing a 7-2 rout.
Nicolas Anelka needed just eight minutes to open the scoring as he rounded Marton Fulop to slot home before Florent Malouda added an excellent solo second.
Ashley Cole produced a breathtaking three touches to pull John Terry's cross from the air, beat the on-rushing defender and then flick beyond Fulop for a truly stunning third and then turned provider for Frank Lampard's close-range volley.
Michael Ballack was left unmarked to head home a fifth from Joe Cole's cross early in the second period, before substitute Bolo Zenden responded for the Black Cats.
Anelka then restored the Blues' five-goal cushion and Lampard headed in a late seventh with Darren Bent's final say for the mauled Black Cats scant consolation.
Sublime
Manchester United needed to see off Burnley, with new manager Laws at the helm, to avoid falling further adrift of the Blues at the summit, and they eventually triumphed 3-0 although it was another less-than convincing display.
Steven Fletcher missed a glorious chance to fire Burnley ahead in the first half after being released by David Nugent, but dragged his shot across the face of Edwin van der Sar's goal.
Dimitar Berbatov produced a glorious piece of skill to control Antonio Valencia's cross and turn away from the defence, but then demonstrated why he frustrates so many Red Devils fans by firing wide.
But he silenced his critics soon after with a sublime finish, holding off the defender and clipping the ball beyond Brian Jensen from an acute angle after being played in by strike partner Wayne Rooney.
Anderson then played in Berbatov only for Jensen to save well low down, but he was powerless to prevent Rooney from slotting home with the Clarets defence unable to clear their lines.
Young striker Mame Biram Diouf stepped off the bench to open his account for the Red Devils in the last minute with Michael Owen also making it onto the field but unable to get on the scoresheet.
Turgid
Stoke defender Robert Huth ensured Liverpool's season of despair continued as he snatched a last-gasp leveller for the Potters in a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.
Under-pressure Reds boss Rafa Benitez sent out a defensive line-up and witnessed a turgid opening 45 minutes, with the game only improving marginally when Sotirios Kyrgiakos stabbed home after Thomas Sorensen fumbled Fabio Aurelio's free-kick.
New signing Maxi Rodriguez came on for the final 12 minutes but could only watch in dismay as Danny Higginbotham headed a corner back across the box for Huth to stab home from close range, while Dirk Kuyt struck the inside of the post with a diving header deep into added time.
James McCarthy and Charles N'Zogbia found the net for Wigan as they overcame Wolves 2-0 at Molineux with both teams ending the game a man down.
The Latics' Paul Scharner produced one of the misses of the season as he somehow skewed wide four yards out in front of a gaping net after Hugo Rodallega had seen his penalty saved on the stroke of half-time.
Richard Stearman's moment of madness in pointlessly pulling back McCarthy in the box saw the Latics awarded a spot-kick and earned the hapless defender a second yellow card, with Marcus Hahnemann's excellent save and Scharner's howler limiting the damage.
But Hahnemann could not prevent McCarthy from breaking the deadlock on the hour mark as he fired home the loose ball after Rodallega's close-range effort had been blocked following good work from Maynor Figueroa and N'Zogbia.
Hendry Thomas then evened up the numbers with his rash and late challenge on Stephen Ward earning him a second yellow card and an early bath, but any hopes of a Wolves fightback were dashed as N'Zogbia burst clear, cut across the box and rolled home.
Hull City spoiled the party for Harry Redknapp as the Tigers took a point from their trip to White Hart Lane in the Tottenham manager's 500th Premier League game in charge.
Spurs were looking to re-establish their top-four credentials and although they have edged back above Manchester City on goal difference, they will view the 0-0 draw against the struggling visitors as two points dropped.
Boaz Myhill was equal to everything that the home side threw at him, producing a number of sparkling saves, while the Tigers had chances of their own but will be more than happy to take a point which has lifted them out of the bottom three.
Wigan overcame Wolves at Molineux with both teams ending the match a man down, Hull City frustrated Tottenham at White Hart Lane and Portsmouth's meeting with Birmingham was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Chelsea produced a devastating display to put sorry Sunderland to the sword with four goals in the opening 34 minutes at Stamford Bridge, before eventually completing a 7-2 rout.
Nicolas Anelka needed just eight minutes to open the scoring as he rounded Marton Fulop to slot home before Florent Malouda added an excellent solo second.
Ashley Cole produced a breathtaking three touches to pull John Terry's cross from the air, beat the on-rushing defender and then flick beyond Fulop for a truly stunning third and then turned provider for Frank Lampard's close-range volley.
Michael Ballack was left unmarked to head home a fifth from Joe Cole's cross early in the second period, before substitute Bolo Zenden responded for the Black Cats.
Anelka then restored the Blues' five-goal cushion and Lampard headed in a late seventh with Darren Bent's final say for the mauled Black Cats scant consolation.
Sublime
Manchester United needed to see off Burnley, with new manager Laws at the helm, to avoid falling further adrift of the Blues at the summit, and they eventually triumphed 3-0 although it was another less-than convincing display.
Steven Fletcher missed a glorious chance to fire Burnley ahead in the first half after being released by David Nugent, but dragged his shot across the face of Edwin van der Sar's goal.
Dimitar Berbatov produced a glorious piece of skill to control Antonio Valencia's cross and turn away from the defence, but then demonstrated why he frustrates so many Red Devils fans by firing wide.
But he silenced his critics soon after with a sublime finish, holding off the defender and clipping the ball beyond Brian Jensen from an acute angle after being played in by strike partner Wayne Rooney.
Anderson then played in Berbatov only for Jensen to save well low down, but he was powerless to prevent Rooney from slotting home with the Clarets defence unable to clear their lines.
Young striker Mame Biram Diouf stepped off the bench to open his account for the Red Devils in the last minute with Michael Owen also making it onto the field but unable to get on the scoresheet.
Turgid
Stoke defender Robert Huth ensured Liverpool's season of despair continued as he snatched a last-gasp leveller for the Potters in a 1-1 draw at the Britannia Stadium.
Under-pressure Reds boss Rafa Benitez sent out a defensive line-up and witnessed a turgid opening 45 minutes, with the game only improving marginally when Sotirios Kyrgiakos stabbed home after Thomas Sorensen fumbled Fabio Aurelio's free-kick.
New signing Maxi Rodriguez came on for the final 12 minutes but could only watch in dismay as Danny Higginbotham headed a corner back across the box for Huth to stab home from close range, while Dirk Kuyt struck the inside of the post with a diving header deep into added time.
James McCarthy and Charles N'Zogbia found the net for Wigan as they overcame Wolves 2-0 at Molineux with both teams ending the game a man down.
The Latics' Paul Scharner produced one of the misses of the season as he somehow skewed wide four yards out in front of a gaping net after Hugo Rodallega had seen his penalty saved on the stroke of half-time.
Richard Stearman's moment of madness in pointlessly pulling back McCarthy in the box saw the Latics awarded a spot-kick and earned the hapless defender a second yellow card, with Marcus Hahnemann's excellent save and Scharner's howler limiting the damage.
But Hahnemann could not prevent McCarthy from breaking the deadlock on the hour mark as he fired home the loose ball after Rodallega's close-range effort had been blocked following good work from Maynor Figueroa and N'Zogbia.
Hendry Thomas then evened up the numbers with his rash and late challenge on Stephen Ward earning him a second yellow card and an early bath, but any hopes of a Wolves fightback were dashed as N'Zogbia burst clear, cut across the box and rolled home.
Hull City spoiled the party for Harry Redknapp as the Tigers took a point from their trip to White Hart Lane in the Tottenham manager's 500th Premier League game in charge.
Spurs were looking to re-establish their top-four credentials and although they have edged back above Manchester City on goal difference, they will view the 0-0 draw against the struggling visitors as two points dropped.
Boaz Myhill was equal to everything that the home side threw at him, producing a number of sparkling saves, while the Tigers had chances of their own but will be more than happy to take a point which has lifted them out of the bottom three.
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