Goals from Alvaro Morata and Marcos Alonso secured all three points for Chelsea in the Premier League, while Watford revived from a goal down to overcome Leicester at the King Power Stadium.
There were three draws elsewhere, with West Brom and Everton failing to find the target in their clash. Huddersfield and Stoke shared a 1-1 scoreline, while Bournemouth and West Ham played out a six-goal thriller.
Chelsea 2-0 Brighton
Alvaro Morata returned from suspension to ignite Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League victory over Brighton at Stamford Bridge.
Morata was unavailable for the goalless draw at Everton three days previously but his firepower inspired the champions following a lifeless first half that saw a number of fine chances wasted.
It was a familiar sight that broke the deadlock as the Spain striker combined with international team-mate Cesar Azpilicueta, nodding home the full-back's pinpoint cross a mere 40 seconds after the interval.
The Spanish theme to the victory continued when Marcos Alonso headed in Cesc Fabregas' corner for the second, sweeping the match beyond the reach of the outclassed visitors.
Brighton had not won in the fixture since an FA Cup triumph in 1933 and that record was never under threat as Eden Hazard expertly pulled the strings to cement third place for Antonio Conte's men.
The second half had barely begun when Chelsea broke the deadlock, Azpilicueta and Morata linking up for the striker to nod home his 12th goal of the season.
Azpilicueta forced a brilliant save from Ryan as his free-kick powered towards the top right corner, but there was nothing the keeper could do to stop the champions' second in the 61st minute.
Fabregas curled in a corner that was met by Alonso with a glancing header and with no one defending the far post, the ball careered into the net.
Having weaved Brighton's defence into a knot, Hazard saw a shot cleared off the line by Lewis Dunk before the Belgian playmaker teed-up Bakayoko, whose accuracy was poor once more.
Chelsea stepped off the gas for the remainder knowing the job was done.
Bournemouth 3-3 West Ham
A controversial stoppage-time goal salvaged a 3-3 draw for Bournemouth against West Ham in a thrilling Premier League encounter at Dean Court.
Callum Wilson was credited with the Cherries' third after he had the final touch as Nathan Ake headed goalwards. There was a suspicion of offside but referee Bobby Madley eventually awarded the equaliser after a lengthy conversation with assistant Simon Long.
Wilson's disputed effort cancelled out a brace from Hammers forward Marko Arnautovic that had David Moyes' travelling side expecting victory.
Arnautovic took his tally to five goals in as many games with his late double, the first of which came after Asmir Begovic's slip when attempting a regulation clearance.
The Austria forward then slotted home after Begovic could only redirect Javier Hernandez's effort, as West Ham looked set to steal the win.
Wilson's goal sparked raucous home celebrations, and doubtless some relief in Cherries boss Eddie Howe.
The breathless draw preserved the status quo at the foot of the Premier League table, with West Ham still sitting outside the drop zone, one place ahead of the Cherries.
Despite the draw Bournemouth equalled their worst winless Premier League run, as they moved to eight league matches without victory.
Hammers skipper James Collins had a hand in both first-half goals, heading his side into a seventh-minute lead, only to gift-wrap Bournemouth's equaliser.
The Wales defender ghosted free in the box to nod home an early corner but Howe's men rallied quickly and ought to have struck when Josh King toe-ended wide when sliding onto Wilson's smart early cross.
Wilson latched onto Jordon Ibe's smart flick-on to outfox Angelo Ogbonna before dispatching an accurate far-post ball, only for King to fail with the finish.
The Cherries finally levelled when Collins miscued an attempted clearing header and the deflection dropped kindly to Dan Gosling, allowing the former Everton midfielder to drill home Bournemouth's first Boxing Day goal in the Premier League.
Gosling's first top-flight goal since the 2-2 draw with Sunderland on November 5, 2016 left the scores locked at 1-1 at the break, but not before Simon Francis was booked for a nasty-looking high foot on Cheikhou Kouyate.
Bournemouth finally doubled their tally when Ake turned home Lewis Cook's low cross that had bobbled through the West Ham box after a corner, and Moyes chose to shake things up by bringing on Andy Carroll and Hernandez.
Arnautovic's eight-minute double turned the game on its head but just when the Hammers thought they were home and hosed, up popped Ake to head goalwards and Wilson's shoulder appeared to have the last touch before the ball crossed the line.
Watford 2-1 Leicester
Watford came from behind to beat Leicester 2-1 and seal a first Premier League victory in seven games.
A tap-in from Molla Wague and an own goal from Kasper Schmeichel cancelled out Leicester forward Riyad Mahrez's opener.
The victory was a first for Marco Silva's side since a 3-0 success at Newcastle on November 25.
Marc Albrighton's cross into the box was met by Mahrez and he headed beyond Gomes for his sixth league goal of the campaign on 37 minutes.
Watford, who had struggled until that point to make any impression going forward, almost drew level immediately.
Richarlison was put through by Andre Carrillo but failed to find the target with Schmeichel beaten. Yet moments later the hosts were level through Wague who tapped home from a corner.
Former Foxes loanee Wague, who played just once for Leicester in an FA Cup defeat at Millwall last season, prodded home after the visitors failed to clear their lines as Watford equalised with their first shot on target.
Substitute Stefano Okaka then saw a speculative overhead kick sail wide of goal before the hosts completed the turnaround to go 2-1 up.
Doucoure squeezed the ball past Schmeichel from the tightest of angles and although there was a question of whether the ball crossed the line, replays confirmed it did. The goalkeeper's decisive touch on the ball saw it officially credited as an own goal.
Tom Cleverley whistled a shot just wide soon after, before Gomes made sure of the victory with two vital saves. First, he kept out Wes Morgan's shot before diving to deny Leonardo Ulloa's goal-bound header.
West Brom 0-0 Everton
Wasteful West Brom extended their winless run to 18 games after failing to find a way through against Everton.
Salomon Rondon and Craig Dawson missed golden chances as the Baggies were held to a goalless draw at The Hawthorns, with boss Alan Pardew still looking for his first win after six attempts.
They will go half a season without a Premier League victory if they fail to beat Arsenal at home on Sunday and
Pardew's side are three points from the safety line. That Albion are not cut adrift will be a crumb of comfort but they needed Ben Foster's late save from Oumar Niasse to clinch a point.
The hosts had scored 14 goals in 20 games ahead of the Boxing Day fixture and should have buried the Toffees in the first half, only to continually let them off the hook.
First, after five minutes, Rondon wasted a glorious opportunity when he failed to connect with Jay Rodriguez's cross just five yards out.
The opening at least gave Albion belief and the busy Chris Brunt and Rodriguez also went close before Dawson should have given the hosts the lead after 19 minutes, only to power a header over from six yards.
The Baggies were more expansive and in control but lacked the security of a goal, even if Everton offered little threat to Foster.
Brunt's miscued effort was gathered by Jordan Pickford three minutes before the break and Gareth Barry's header landed on the roof of the net.
Albion's profligacy continued four minutes into the second half when Rondon sliced wildly wide and the striker's afternoon ended shortly after when he limped off with a hamstring problem.
It added to the Baggies' issues up front and, while they continued to force the issue in the second half, Pickford was never forced into a serious save.
Matt Phillips fired a free-kick over and Kieran Gibbs miscued when well placed before Brunt fired over.
But Everton almost completed a smash-and-grab win with two minutes left but Foster saved Niasse's low effort.
Huddersfield 1-1 Stoke
Tom Ince's first Premier League goal since February 2014 was cancelled out by Ramadan Sobhi's second in four days as Huddersfield and Stoke drew 1-1.
Ince, who last registered a top-flight goal with Crystal Palace, finally ended his drought with his 45th shot in the division this season in the 10th minute.
The Terriers then somehow survived a crazy period when they made four goal-line clearances in quick succession, including one sensational stop from goalkeeper Jonas Lossl, before Ramadan stepped off the bench to level on the hour mark.
The Egyptian had scored his first in the Premier League on Saturday to complete a crucial 3-1 win over West Brom and this strike was equally important in a contest where both sides felt they should have had second-half penalties.
Ince's long wait for another Premier League goal arrived early thanks to some lax defending. Collin Quaner reached the byline via a Tommy Smith one-two that bypassed three Stoke defenders, and his stab back was latched upon by Ince, who reacted quickest to earn his reward.
His reaction was one of relief and it was replicated on Huddersfield fans' faces as Stoke somehow failed to find a 27th-minute leveller, thanks to a quartet of goal-line clearances and the help of the woodwork in a 20-second flurry.
Ince's strike was the 41st Stoke had conceded in the Premier League this term and the fear of more increased when Shawcross' injury forced them into a defensive reshuffle.
Steve Mounie dispatched an overhead kick onto the roof of the net and Jack Butland saved from Rajiv van La Parra and Ince before Shawcross' replacement Ramadan equalised.
His chance was put on a plate by Joe Allen, who ran down the left, received a pass back off Choupo-Moting and delivered a back-post cross that Ramadan converted.
Both sides chased a winner but received no help from referee Taylor with penalty shouts, much to both managers' fury.
