Premier League leaders Manchester United beat Charlton Athletic 2-0 at Old Trafford to stay six points clear of Chelsea on Saturday after the champions beat Middlesbrough 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
South Korea midfielder Park Ji-sung and Scotland's Darren Fletcher scored in each half to take Alex Ferguson's side to 66 points and a step closer to their first league title since 2003.
Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba scored twice for Chelsea from freekicks and Boro defender Abel Xavier gifted them the other by deflecting an Arjen Robben effort into his own net.
Liverpool lost 2-1 at Newcastle United, Reading were 2-0 winners over Aston Villa, Sheffield United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 and Watford won a relegation scrap at West Ham United 1-0 after Marlon Harewood missed a penalty for the hosts.
Striker Andy Johnson celebrated his 26th birthday by scoring Everton's winner as they beat Blackburn Rovers 1-0.
Though Manchester United's victory did not increase their lead, Ferguson's men will at least be comforted by knowing there are now only 11 games left in the season.
Park delivered the killer blow with a header from French wingback Patrice Evra's cross in the 24th minute and Fletcher wrapped up the win off a Wayne Rooney cross in the 82nd.
Chelsea lacked fluency against a Boro side who had beaten them 2-1 at the Riverside in August but made the breakthrough with Drogba's freekick on the stroke of halftime.
Xavier put the result beyond doubt by turning in a wayward shot by Dutch substitute Robben, who had only arrived a minute earlier, and Drogba finished the job to become the Premier League's leading scorer with his 17th of the season.
Along with the points, Chelsea also made sure of a three-year run without a home league defeat -- the last coming against Arsenal in a London derby on Feb 21, 2004.
Their next home fixture is next month against Sheffield United.
CHELSEA'S LEAD
With 60 points, Chelsea now have a useful lead over Liverpool, who are stuck on 50 after letting slip an early lead at St James' Park from their former Newcastle forward Craig Bellamy, who was booed on his return.
Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins equalised after a goalkeeping blunder by Liverpool's Jose Reina and Peruvian midfielder Nolberto Solano converted a penalty to win it.
Fourth-placed Arsenal, who play Wigan Athletic on Sunday and have a further game in hand, have 46 points.
Down at the other end of the table, Watford remain bottom after Darius Henderson secured their first away league win of the season with a 12th minute penalty.
But it did move them on to 18 points -- just two behind Charlton and West Ham and seven adrift of Wigan.
Arsenal had to come from behind to snatch a 2-1 win over Wigan Athletic and reclaim fourth place in the Premier League from Bolton Wanderers on Sunday.
Arsenal looked set for a first defeat at the Emirates Stadium after a stunning 35th-minute strike by Wigan's Dutch midfielder Denny Landzaat.
But Wigan defender Fitz Hall's own goal in the 81st minute and an 84th minute winner from Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky turned the game -- soon after Wigan were denied a penalty.
Arsenal are fourth on 49 points and back in front of Bolton, who had reached 47 points with an earlier 2-1 win over Fulham.
Manchester United, who beat Charlton Athletic 2-0 on Saturday, are top with 66, six ahead of Chelsea who beat Middlesbrough 3-0.
Liverpool are third on 50 points, with Arsenal holding a game in hand on all three.
Wigan will consider themselves very unlucky after leading through Landzaat's stunning 30-metre shot.
They threatened to score more but were floored at the end when Hall turned a cross into his own net and Rosicky headed his first league goal from Julio Baptista's cross
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