Arsenal scored twice in the opening seven minutes and ended the match as a contest with a third in the 19th as they crushed Manchester United 3-0 to move above them into second place in the Premier League at the Emirates on Sunday.
The Gunners demolished United with some brilliant passing football, taking the lead when Alexis Sanchez scored with a clever near-post flick after six minutes.
They doubled their lead a minute later when Mesut Ozil rifled in from 12 metres and completed the rout when Sanchez blasted in an unstoppable shot for his sixth goal in his last three games after 19 minutes.
United, who were top of the table at the start of the weekend, rarely got going against the home side who were always in control and never looked like slipping up with Petr Cech only seriously troubled once.
The victory was Arsenal's biggest against United for 17 years and lifted them to 16 points, two behind new leaders Manchester City, and just ahead of United on goal difference.
Arsenal came into the match under something of a cloud following their 3-2 home defeat to Olympiakos Piraeus in the Champions League on Tuesday, but they put that disappointment behind them almost from the kickoff.
United, with Ashley Young handed an unfamiliar start at left back and Italian defender Matteo Darmian on the right, were totally bamboozled.
Aaron Ramsey and Ozil combined to set up Sanchez for the first, with the Chilean flicking in at the near post to score, and a minute later Ozil carved up the United defence after a one-two with Theo Walcott.
With United's midfield lacking any invention, pace or authority, Arsenal poured forwards and Sanchez powered into a shooting position to launch an unstoppable rocket past David De Gea in the United goal and effectively seal all three points.
United's only real chance in the game came just before the break when Anthony Martial turned and shot but saw his effort cleared by the boot of Cech who was virtually a spectator for most of the match.
Darmian was hauled off at halftime after being tormented by Sanchez and the second half was more evenly balanced.
But Arsenal were never seriously troubled, ending United's four match winning domestic run and at the same time beating them in the league for only the second time in their last 14 meetings.
Arsenal substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was unlucky not to make the score 4-0 when he hit the bar with a looping shot with the last kick of the game.
Merseyside derby ends in 1-1 draw
Premier League rivals Everton and Liverpool drew 1-1 with both goals coming in the first half of one of the quieter Merseyside derbies of recent years.
Liverpool, who have not lost to their neighbours for five years, went ahead in the 42nd minute when Danny Ings was left unmarked to head in a corner.
But in added time at the end of the first half, Belgium's Romelu Lukaku drove in the equaliser.
The draw left Everton one point in front of their old rivals but relieved some of the pressure on opposing manager Brendan Rodgers by extending his team's unbeaten record to six games.
It was a fair result in a game that never touched the heights of quality or excitement seen in many of the previous meetings.
Liverpool made all the early running and the home side's American international goalkeeper Tim Howard was forced to save twice from James Milner.
He was at fault, however, when Liverpool took the lead. Howard failed to come for Milner's corner and Ings, called into the England squad three days earlier, was all alone as he headed in.
Everton had improved in the meantime, Steven Naismith's header and James McCarthy's drive demanding good saves from Simon Mignolet.
And in added time at the end of the first half, Lukaku drove in the equaliser after Emre Can failed to clear a cross.
That sent the Blues into the dressing-room and out again with a spring in their step. They gained further momentum by sending on former Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon for Gerard Deulofeu, although clear chances were hard to come by.
Ross Barkley ran at the Liverpool defence before shooting narrowly wide and soon afterwards Lukaku's drive went straight at Mignolet from a promising position.
The visitors were reduced to counter-attacking and with Philippe Coutinho's shot comfortably saved by Howard, Rodgers sent on Adam Lallana for Ings, plus Joe Allen for Lucas Leiva.
The fixture has produced more red cards than any other (20) since the Premier League began in 1992 and Everton felt there should have been one for Brazilian midfielder Lucas.
He escaped with a yellow, along with team-mate Can and Mamadou Sakho, plus Everton's Barkley, James McCarthy and Lukaku.
Rodgers told reporters he did not feel under any pressure and was "really proud" of his players.
"It is a very good point," he added. "It is a difficult place to come. We looked like we were getting better in our attack and defensively we were more cohesive."
Everton manager Roberto Martinez felt his team deserved to win.
"Every time we had the ball in their half, we looked like creating something," he said. "Mignolet made two outstanding saves. We are disappointed with the goal we conceded."
