Diego Costa returned for Chelsea with deadly effect on Sunday, scoring in the 2-0 win over Hull City which increased their lead at the top of the Premier League to eight points after Arsenal had earlier taken up the mantle as their nearest pursuers.
The Gunners beat Burnley 2-1 at the Emirates where the real drama came in injury time when each side scored a penalty and Arsene Wenger clashed with the fourth official after being sent off for disputing the first spot-kick.
By contrast, the day's other game seemed routine, with Southampton beating the ailing champions Leicester City 3-0.
Chelsea are odds-on to succeed Claudio Ranieri's side as victors in May after posting their eighth successive home league win against a Hull side which had Ryan Mason taken to hospital after a sickening clash of heads with Gary Cahill.
The stage was set perfectly for the returning Costa to make more headlines after being said by the club to be missing with injury against Leicester last week while British media reported he was unsettled by the prospect of a big-money move to China.
Manager Antonio Conte said before the game that he had been happy with Costa's mentality and he will have been even more pleased with the goal that put the Blues ahead in first-half injury time after good work on the right by Victor Moses.
The strike sparked a bizarre celebration in which the Spanish international made gestures with both hands that suggested he had just silenced the chatter about his future in the best way possible.
Indeed he had. Costa's goals -- this was his 52nd on his 100th appearance for the club -- remain the main reason why Chelsea are such hot favourites for the title as they now stand on 55 points with Arsenal on 47, Tottenham Hotspur on 46 and Liverpool on 45.
Costa eventually left to a rousing reception late after Cahill settled matters by rising above the visiting defence to head home the second on 81 minutes.
"Now we have (a lead of) eight points and there are 16 games to play. I think me and my players have good experience to understand that in this league it will be very tough until the end," Conte told reporters.
Across London, the goals came even later at the Emirates where the final minutes left the crowd -- and managers -- breathless.
After the game's astonishing finale, which saw Alexis Sanchez net the winner in the 98th minute, a relieved Wenger apologised for his earlier clash with the fourth official.
However, Arsenal's manager may face an FA charge for appearing to push Anthony Taylor near the tunnel following his dismissal by referee Jon Moss after Burnley's 93rd-minute penalty had been converted by Andre Gray.
"I didn't see any penalty from outside but I should have shut up and I apologise, even if I was frustrated," said Wenger.
Gray's goal proved just the start of the action as referee Moss, who had already sent off Arsenal's Granit Xhaka for a wild 65th minute tackle, awarded the Gunners a penalty of their own when Ben Mee raised a leg to the advancing Laurent Koscielny.
Penalty-taker Sanchez possessed the only cool head in the ground, dinking the ball over the Burnley keeper to secure an astonishing win for Arsenal, who had taken the lead through Shkodran Mustafi's 59th-minute header.
At Southampton, Ranieri had no complaints with Leicester's defeat, even offering an apology for confusing his players with some of his recent tactical variations.
"I think (in) the last matches I changed (the team's) shape to try to help my players play better but maybe I made mistakes," he said.
Poor defending allowed first-half goals for James Ward-Prowse and Jay Rodriguez while Dusan Tadic's late penalty only confirmed that Leicester, in 15th place just five points above the drop zone, are in free fall and in serious trouble.
Reuters
Sun Jan 22 2017
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte with Chelsea's Gary Cahill after the match. Action Images via REUTERS / Andrew Couldridge Livepic
Louis Gossett Jr meninggal dunia pada usia 87 tahun
Louis Gossett Jr., lelaki kulit hitam pertama memenangi Anugerah Akademi sebagai pelakon pembantu terbaik, meninggal dunia pada usia 87 tahun.
Anggota polis maut dalam perjalanan bertugas
Seorang anggota polis maut selepas motosikal yang ditunggangnya terbabit dalam kemalangan dengan sebuah treler di Kilometer 6, Jalan Bahau-Kemayan tengah hari tadi.
Wanita Malaysia perlu peka terhadap golongan memerlukan - Dr Wan Azizah
Wanita di Malaysia perlu sentiasa peka dan membuat kebaikan kepada golongan yang memerlukan lebih-lebih lagi pada Ramadan ini, kata isteri Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Reka bentuk PADU terbaik, selamat dan berkesan, bukan guna kaedah lapuk - DOSM
Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia (DOSM) menegaskan bahawa reka bentuk dan pembangunan Sistem Pangkalan Data Utama (PADU) adalah yang terbaik, selamat serta berkesan.
It’s About YOUth: Fostering inclusion for autism
Millions worldwide live with Autism Spectrum Disorder, but misunderstanding and stigma persist. Autism Behavioural Centre’s Charlene Marie Samuel and Consultant Psychologist Katyana Azman discuss overcoming these challenges to promote greater inclusion.
35 laluan bas Rapid KL terlibat penyelarasan operasi bermula hari ini
Sebanyak 35 laluan atau 13 peratus daripada keseluruhan 264 laluan bas Rapid KL di Lembah Klang termasuk bas perantara Laluan Transit Aliran Massa (MRT) terlibat dalam penyelarasan operasi.
AWANI Ringkas: Kes Bunuh | Korporat | Net Zero 2050
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
AWANI Ringkas: Beli Kondo Mewah | Komoditi | UNESCO
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Pemecatan salah: Bekas pengurus menang saman terhadap BNM
Mahkamah Tinggi hari ini memutuskan bahawa pemecatan bekas pengurus Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) kerana menyertai aktiviti politik pada 2016 sebagai tidak sah dan menyalahi undang-undang.
AWANI 7:45 [29/03/2024] – Malaysia ada undang-undang | Sindiket seludup membabitkan Kastam | Pegawai polis lindungi kegiatan haram
Ketua Polis Negara beri amaran jangan ambil tindakan sendiri.
Rugi RM2 bilion akibat seludup.
SPRM jangka ada bos lebih senior lindungi kegiatan haram.
RM37.6 juta tampung kos tol percuma sempena Aidilfitri.
Rugi RM2 bilion akibat seludup.
SPRM jangka ada bos lebih senior lindungi kegiatan haram.
RM37.6 juta tampung kos tol percuma sempena Aidilfitri.
UCL: Arsenal tak gentar hadapi sebarang lawan -- Odegaard
Odegaard percaya Arsenal tidak perlu gentar untuk menghadapi Real Madrid, Bayern Munich atau Manchester City dalam pusingan UCL seterusnya.
UCL: Arsenal tamatkan badi 14 tahun ke suku akhir
David Raya menyelamatkan dua sepakan penalti ketika Arsenal menewaskan Porto 4-2 untuk mara ke suku akhir Liga Juara-Juara (UCL) dalam tempoh 14 tahun.
Arsenal bina surau buat pemain di Stadium Emirates
Ruang untuk meditasi dan berdoa ini akan mengubah kehidupan pemain Arsenal pada akan datang, kata Mohamed Elneny.
EPL: Tandukkan emas Havert pacu Arsenal ke puncak liga
Kai Havert menanduk masuk jaringan kemenangan pada penghujung minit permainan ketika menentang Brentford.
'Kami sentiasa derita menentang Brentford' - Jurulatih Arsenal
Arsenal yang memenangi tujuh aksi liga berturut-turut, perlu mengekalkan momentum dan bukannya fokus keputusan saingan kejuaraan.
Arsenal cipta rekod baharu bola sepak Inggeris
Rekod baharu sepanjang zaman liga Inggeris itu dijelmakan anak buah Mikel Arteta selepas membelasah Sheffield United 6-0.
EPL: Rodri selamatkan maruah Manchester City ikat Chelsea
Raheem Sterling menjaringkan gol ke atas bekas kelabnya untuk Chelsea mendahului pada tiga minit terakhir babak pertama.
Arsenal bina momentum untuk bergelar juara - Mikel Arteta
Pengendali The Gunners, Mikel Arteta percaya Arsenal mula memperoleh momentum dalam perebutan takhta liga.
EPL: Van Dijk akui kesilapan undang malang buat Liverpool
Pertahanan Liverpool, Virgil Van Dijk mengakui melakukan kesilapan besar ketika The Reds tewas 3-1 kepada Arsenal dalam aksi Liga Perdana Inggeris.
Arsenal manfaat kesilapan Alisson Becker kurangkan kelebihan Liverpool
The Gunners memberikan jaringan penyamaan kepada pelawat apabila jaringan sendiri Gabriel Magalhaes menafikan gol pembukaan Bukayo Saka.