A miserable 10 days for Chelsea culminated in a chastening 3-0 defeat as Everton won back-to-back matches at home in the Premier League for the first time this season.
In the space of just over a week, Liam Rosenior's side have lost 8-2 on aggregate in a Champions League exit to Paris St Germain, been beaten at home by Newcastle before being out-worked and out-performed by the Toffees - a team who had won just five times in 15 previous home league games.
Rosenior has won 10 of 19 matches since replacing Enzo Maresca; three of which were in the FA Cup against Wrexham, Hull and Charlton and another at home to Cypriot minnows Pafos.
With Manchester United drawing and Liverpool losing, Chelsea had the chance to go fourth, four points behind the Red Devils, but they blew it in spectacular style.
Everton's win, however, puts them within three points of neighbours Liverpool with a home Merseyside derby to come next month.
Beto became the first Everton player to score more than once in a game this season before Iliman Ndiaye curled a shot into the top corner to cap the Toffees' best performance at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium home and sent the visiting fans streaming for the exit with 15 minutes remaining.
Harry Wilson grabbed his 10th goal of the season as Fulham shoved their former boss Scott Parker closer to the drop with a 3-1 win over Burnley.
Wilson fired Fulham into the lead after Josh King had finally scored his first Premier League goal to cancel out Zian Flemming's opener for Burnley.
Substitute Raul Jimenez wrapped up the victory from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Josh Laurent was sent off.
It was a kick in the stomach for Parker, who managed Fulham to promotion in 2020 and relegation a year later and now looks odds on to repeat the trick with the Clarets.
They are nine points adrift of safety - a gap which could widen after Sunday's matches - with only seven games to play.
Leeds missed the chance to climb six points clear of the Premier League's bottom three after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Brentford at Elland Road.
With relegation rivals Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and West Ham all in action on Sunday, Leeds failed to score for the fourth successive league game as their winless top-flight run extended to six matches.
Daniel Farke's side lacked the quality to seriously trouble a well-drilled and resolute Brentford side, who were superbly marshalled by skipper Nathan Collins.
Keith Andrews' Bees, who could have climbed level on points with sixth-placed Chelsea with victory, came under sustained pressure only in the closing stages and were worthy of their point.
