Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City all enjoyed big wins on another pulsating weekend of Premier League action.
The Gunners shrugged off the Alexis Sanchez circus to race into a 4-0 lead against Crystal Palace and eventually run out 4-1 winners.
Chelsea also hit four at Brighton where Eden Hazard turned in one of the individual performances of the season.
Elsewhere, City maintained their 12-point advantage at the top of the Premier League with a Sergio Aguero hat-trick against Newcastle and Manchester United ran out 1-0 winners over Burnley.
Here are 10 talking points from the Premier League weekend...
1. Who needs Sanchez?
By John Cross
Arsenal fans cannot help themselves. Sanchez is off to Manchester United but a banner reading “Good Boys” in recognition of the Chile star’s beloved dogs Atom and Humber still hangs proudly inside the Emirates.
They haven’t taken down the banner yet but they proved against Palace that the team have moved on from Sanchez.
It was a performance full of defiance, determination and one which was designed to show there is life after Alexis.
In fact, if this is what happens after selling their best player, then maybe Arsenal should try flogging another.
It was a big response and one which was much needed to change the mood of doom and gloom.
2. You can play for half an hour - and be man of the match
By John Cross
Nacho Monreal scored Arsenal’s first and provided assists for Alex Iwobi and Laurent Koscielny. Not bad for a left back.
He got an injury on the half hour mark, hobbled on for a bit and then came off after 33 minutes.
But after that contribution, it’s surely impossible not to give him man of the match even though he only played for half an hour.
3. Wenger goes 4-4-2
By John Cross
Wenger was never quite sure about the back three revolution, it almost felt as if he got bullied into it last season and has switched back to a back four in recent weeks.
Sure enough, Arsenal had a bad result at Bournemouth last Sunday and Wenger has gone back to a back four with more experienced personnel with Laurent Koscielny, Shkodran Mustafi and Nacho Monreal playing his first game at left back for a while.
The balance between defence and attack is the thing that Wenger can’t quite get right.
4. Sanchez arrival much-needed
By David Anderson
It’s easy to see why Manchester United have offered Alexis Sanchez the earth on the evidence of this attacking performance before Martial broke the deadlock on 54 minutes with their first shot on target.
United went with Mata, Lingard and Martial behind Lukaku and for too long it was too easy for Burnley’s defence. Sanchez has the pace and skill to add another dimension to their attack, which looked very pedestrian at Turf Moor, hence why they are making him English football’s first £500,000-a-week player.
Sanchez is going to have to earn every penny of that salary to put United back on a level with Manchester City.
5. Shaw progress stalled
By David Anderson
Luke Shaw will be wary of Jose Mourinho’s compliments. Shaw must have thought he would start after Mourinho was gushing about him in his press conference yesterday.
“I don’t see many better left-backs than Luke Shaw,” he said. For all his fine words, Mourinho dropped Shaw after he had started the last five games to make way for Ashley Young, who was back from suspension.
That was very tough on Shaw and poor man management by Mourinho to build him up and then knock him down again. It will do little to boost Shaw’s fragile confidence.
6. Clarets' results do not tell the full story
By David Anderson
Burnley are playing better than their results suggest. This defeat to United extended their winless run to eight in all competitions, but they pushed Mourinho’s side all the way.
They defended resolutely to limit United to few decent chances, while creating a couple themselves.
With more composure in front of goal, they might have scored. Johan Berg Gudmundsson also hit a free-kick against the bar with David De Gea struggling to get across his goal. They may have slipped to eighth, but they are still having one hell of a season and their best since the mid-70s.
7. City pass a significant test of character
By David McDonnell
After losing their 22-game unbeaten run in the Premier League in last weekend's thrilling 4-3 defeat at Liverpool, the focus was on how Manchester City would respond in the wake of that setback, with Manchester United's 1-0 win at Burnley having cut their lead to nine points before they kicked off against Newcastle.
Pep Guardiola's side could not have picked more obliging opponents to face following their first domestic defeat of the season than Newcastle, who only came alive in the latter stages of the game after Jacob Murphy gave them a glimmer of hope with a goal out of nothing.
But this was a big test successfully navigated by City, who restored their 12-point lead with 14 games left.
8. Hat-trick hero Aguero just can't stop scoring against Newcastle
By David McDonnell
Sergio Aguero took his goal tally for the season to 23 and make it 14 goals in 12 Premier League appearances against Newcastle, as well as providing two assists.
Aguero has scored more goals against Newcastle than any other Premier League side and continued that fine record here, putting City ahead with a glancing header in the first-half, converting a penalty won by Raheem Sterling just after the hour and completing his hat-trick seven minutes from time.
With Gabriel Jesus sidelined by injury and City having walked away from a deal to sign Alexis Sanchez, Aguero remains their main man up front.
9. Chelsea off the mark properly in 2018
By Adrian Kajumba
It has taken a while but Chelsea finally have a proper win to celebrate this year.
At the sixth attempt the Blues bagged their first win in 90 minutes at Brighton after blowing the Seagulls away with two early goals in three first-half minutes and two late ones.
Some of their football, especially in the opening period, was thrilling as they carved the hosts apart.
At times Conte's forwards played like they were on a back-heel bonus.
This was a timely win for the Stamford Bridge side going into Wednesday's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg at Arsenal.
10. Hazard the star of the show
By Adrian Kajumba
Reducing “tired” Eden Hazard's workload looked to have done him wonders.
He was hooked after just 58 minutes against Leicester last week, a decision that raised eyebrows, and only played the final 20 minutes against Norwich in midweek.
But against Brighton he was back to his very best. On this form few teams could live with him, let alone an out of form one sliding worryingly towards the bottom three.