Wigan stunned Newcastle with four first-half goals to give their survival hopes a huge boost and put a major dent in the Magpies' bid to qualify for the Champions League.
Roberto Martinez's side turned in their best 45 minutes of the season in the first half, and then kept an improved Newcastle at bay after the break to earn a 4-0 victory that moves them three points clear of the drop zone.
Victor Moses took advantage of some lax defending to head in the first after 13 minutes and was then gifted an even easier second two minutes later when Fabricio Coloccini fluffed his clearance and the Wigan striker fired home the loose ball.
It got worse for Newcastle after 36 minutes when Shaun Maloney capped a fine flowing move with a finish from a tight angle on the left and Franco Di Santo made it a first half to remember for Wigan fans with a wonderful curling shot from outside the area in stoppage time.
Newcastle looked better after the break, but could not find a way back.
There was even more drama at Swansea, where the hosts led 4-1 at one stage but then allowed already-relegated Wolves to claim a point in an amazing 4-4 draw.
Swansea scored three times in the opening 15 minutes and looked like they were cruising to victory.
Andrea Orlandi turned in Scott Sinclair's cross before Wolves had touched the ball, and it was 2-0 after four minutes when Joe Allen broke away and found the net with the help of a deflection off Richard Stearman.
Nathan Dyer headed in a third after 15 minutes, but a fine header from Steven Fletcher gave Wolves hope moments later.
Danny Graham's calm finish put Swansea 4-1 up after half-an-hour, but again they were pegged back as Matt Jarvis cut in from the left and his low shot found the net with Ashley Williams stumbling when given a chance to block.
Wolves then came roaring back in the second half. Dave Edwards raced through to cap a fine move and make it 4-3, and Jarvis then levelled in the 69th minute, meeting Fletcher's low cross.
Everton also netted four goals, with the in-form Nikica Jelavic helping them to a 4-0 victory over Fulham.
His seventh-minute free-kick was blocked by Pavel Pogrebnyak's hand inside the area, and the January signing from Rangers stepped up to send Mark Schwarzer the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Marouane Fellaini was allowed a free header to double the lead after 16 minutes before Jelavic's second of the afternoon and ninth in the last seven games made it 3-0 six minutes before the break.
Tim Cahill came off the bench to score the fourth on the hour mark.
A sublime first Liverpool hat-trick from Luis Suarez earned Kenny Dalglish's side a 3-0 win over lacklustre Norwich at Carrow Road.
The Canaries were architects of their own downfall in the first half, with first David Fox and then Elliott Ward caught in possession inside their own half within five minutes of each other and both punished by clinical finishes by the controversial Uruguay striker.
But there was nothing they could do in the 82nd minute when Suarez seized on a clearance on the halfway line and lofted the ball audaciously over stranded keeper John Ruddy from fully 45 yards for his third goal.
Goals were the theme of the day, but Arsenal could not find the second they needed to take full advantage of Newcastle's defeat, instead being held 1-1 at Stoke.
Peter Crouch's ninth-minute header put the hosts ahead before Robin van Persie netted a simple finish from Tomas Rosicky's cross to level on the quarter-hour mark, his 35th goal of the season.
Arsenal are third, four points ahead of Newcastle, having played a game more.
Bolton, needing a win to climb out of the drop zone, took the lead at Sunderland when Martin Petrov's fine cross was volleyed home by Kevin Davies at the far post, but Nicklas Bendtner levelled before the break.
James McClean then put the hosts on top with a 55th-minute free-kick, but a Davies header earned Bolton a point 20 minutes from time.
Aston Villa did little to ease their relegation worries as they rode their luck in a goalless draw at West Brom, although they were grateful to a fine Shay Given save in the final minutes to prevent it being any worse.
