Manchester United crashed to a 1-0 defeat against Southampton while Jamie Vardy ended a seven-game scoring drought as Leicester City beat Stoke City 3-0 to move three points clear at the top of the table above Arsenal, who host Chelsea on Sunday.
Charlie Austin marked his debut with an 87th-minute winner as Southampton silenced Old Trafford to condemn the Red Devils to their sixth defeat of the campaign. United were booed off after £4 million striker Austin gave Southampton victory by converting James Ward-Prowse's right-wing free-kick with a header.
In a further blow to manager Louis van Gaal, right-back Matteo Darmian was forced off after a second-half collision with Shane Long, exacerbating United's defensive injury crisis.
>Manchester United 0-1 Southampton
Spurs strengthen grip on fourth place
United remain fifth, but are now five points below Tottenham Hotspur, who strengthened their grip on fourth place by coming from behind to beat London rivals Crystal Palace 3-1 thanks to a stunning Dele Alli goal.
Palace took a 30th-minute lead when Jan Vertonghen turned Wilfried Zaha's cross into his own net. But Harry Kane equalised in the 63rd minute by heading in Nacer Chadli's cross before Alli struck in the 84th minute, flicking the ball over a defender's head and volleying home from the edge of the box.
Chadli added a third goal from long range in stoppage time for Mauricio Pochettino's side, who are now two points below local rivals Arsenal.
Vardy ends goal drought
Danny Drinkwater's deflected 42nd-minute strike put Leicester 1-0 up at home to Stoke and the midfielder later set up Jamie Vardy to round Jack Butland and roll in his first goal in eight appearances. Leonardo Ulloa sealed victory in the 87th minute, poking in a pass from Riyad Mahrez.
The division's top scorer, Vardy now has 16 league goals to his name and his side have a three-point lead.
>Leicester City 3-0 Stoke City
Relegation candidates fail to win
Newcastle United remain in the bottom three after losing 2-1 at Watford, who prevailed through goals from Odion Ighalo and Craig Cathcart, with Jamaal Lascelles reducing the arrears.
Sunderland are also still in the relegation places, but they inched closer to safety after Patrick van Aanholt cancelled out Benik Afobe's headed opener in a 1-1 home draw with Bournemouth.
Elsewhere, bottom club Aston Villa drew 0-0 at West Bromwich Albion.
>West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Aston Villa
Hammers hold City
In the day's late kick-off, Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by West Ham United in an entertaining game at Upton Park. Sergio Aguero's two goals cancelled out Enner Valencia's brace for the Hammers as both teams were denied the winning goal by a combination of the woodwork and some brilliant goalkeeping by Joe Hart and Adrian. Manchester City move up to second in the table with West Ham remaining in sixth.
>West Ham United 2-2 Manchester City
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