Chelsea reasserted their credentials as Premier League title favourites on Saturday with a 7-2 demolition of Sunderland that manager Carlo Ancelotti hailed as their best performance of the season.
Manchester United, who have played a game more than the leaders, remained one point off the pace after a 3-0 win over Burnley at Old Trafford.
But it was another frustrating day for Liverpool, who conceded a last-minute equaliser at Stoke and wasted an opportunity to close the gap on Manchester City and Tottenham in the battle for top-four places.
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With City going down to a 2-0 defeat at Everton, their first loss since Roberto Mancini took over as manager last month, Spurs were able to edge them out of the Champions League qualifying places thanks to a goalless draw at home to Hull.
Chelsea were irresistible at Stamford Bridge, where Nicolas Anelka and Frank Lampard both scored twice on an afternoon when they might easily have reached doube figures.
Florent Malouda, Ashley Cole and Michael Ballack also found the net with Boudewijn Zenden and Darren Bent providing consolation efforts for Steve Bruce's outclassed side.
Ancelotti was delighted to see his side prove they could thrive in the absence of Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou, all of whom are away at the African Cup of Nations.
"I've always said we have a fantastic squad and today we have done a good job," the Italian said.
United wait to break Burnley down
There were no such fireworks at Old Trafford, where the Manchester United faithful had to wait until the 56th minute before Dimitar Berbatov broke Burnley's resistance.
Wayne Rooney's 16th goal of the season and substitute Mame Biram Diouf's first for the club made sure that Brian Laws's first match in charge of Burnley ended in defeat.
Ferguson praised Senegalese striker Diouf, who joined from Norwegian club FC Molde.
"He's got great spring, he's quick and he looks to run behind the defenders all the time and he's very good in the air," said the United boss.
Liverpool not good enough
A second-half goal from Sotirios Kyrgiakos had looked like it would be enough to ease the pressure on Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez following the club's FA Cup exit to Championship side Reading earlier in the week.
But the defensive frailty that has hampered Liverpool throughout the campaign was exposed again in the 90th minute when Robert Huth scrambled in an equaliser after the visitors had failed to clear a corner.
Having been denied what appeared to be a clear penalty in the first half, Liverpool suffered further frustration when Dirk Kuyt headed against the post in the fifth minute of injury time.
"It feels like a defeat," admitted Kuyt. "We aren't playing the best football at the moment, but I thought we fought really hard for this result, and to concede in the last minute and even miss a great chance in the last minute is unbelievable."
The draw left Liverpool languishing in seventh place, although the failure of Tottenham and Manchester City to win limited the damage for Benitez's men.
City had begun life under Mancini with four straight wins but they flunked their first serious test at Goodison Park.
A Steven Pienaar free-kick and a Louis Saha penalty earned Everton a thoroughly deserved victory and lifted David Moyes's side into the top half of the table for the first time this season.
Wigan pulled away from the relegation zone with a 2-0 win at fellow strugglers Wolves in a match both teams ended with ten men.
Wolves defender Richard Stearman received a second yellow card when he conceded a first-half penalty. Marcus Hahnemann saved Hugo Rodallega's spot-kick but Wigan made their numerical advantage count though James McCarthy on the hour.
The numbers were evened up when Wigan midfielder Hendry Thomas was ordered off shortly afterwards but Charles N'Zogbia made sure of the points for the visitors.
