Premier League results round up: Arsenal send out title warning
Arsenal responded to Chelsea's win against Everton earlier in the day by thrashing Sunderland 4-1 at home to stay a point behind the table topping Blues.
The Gunners exploded out of the blocks with a goal from Olivier Giroud after just five minutes, with the recalled Frenchman pouncing after a good move ended with the ball falling kindly for the striker.
A terrible Sergio Vergini backpass gifted Giroud his second with half an hour gone, before Tomas Rosicky dinked a lovely finish over former Gunners goalkeeper Vito Mannone, to put the finishing touch on a typically top class, rat-a-tat passing move from Wenger's side.
Regardless of their cup heroics, Sunderland will struggle to stay in the Premier League if they continue to perform as they did at the Emirates Stadium, but then again Gus Poyet will be thankful they won't be playing opponents of Arsenal's quality every week.
A free second half header from Laurent Koscielny put Arsenal four up on 57 minutes, as Sunderland's defence went AWOL again, but the threat of a humiliating trouncing was averted when the Gunners took their foot off the pedal and Emanuele Giaccherini grabbed a late consolation.
Fellow Premier League title hopefuls Manchester City also bounced back from Champions League disappointment to keep pace at the top with a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium against Stoke City.
In contrast to Arsenal, City were forced to grind out their win as the free-flowing, goal scoring form that saw them sweep teams aside earlier in the campaign continued to desert Manuel Pellegrini's side.
The City faithful breathed a big sigh of relief when Yaya Toure turned in an Aleksandar Kolarov centre to break the deadlock, putting the home side three points behind Chelsea, with a game in hand.
The result left Mark Hughes' Stoke three points above the relegation zone, as the battle to avoid the drop also continued apace.
West Brom grabbed an equaliser four minutes from time at home to Fulham, who had German coach Felix Magath in charge for the first time.
The Cottagers looked like taking a vital three points as time ticked away, thanks to a sweet 28th minute strike from Ashkan Dejagah.
Baggies boss Pepe Mel made two changes for the second half, taking off Billy Jones and Thievy Bifouma, bringing on Victor Anichebe and Zoltan Gera, and his team duly improved.
But it was his third switch that made the difference, with a shot from sub Matej Vydra squirming through the grasp of Fulham's Maarten Stekelenburg and being judged to have crossed the line by goal-line technology.
The result leaves Fulham bottom, a point behind Cardiff City, who were thumped 4-0 on their own turf by Hull City.
Bluebirds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer watched his team get taken apart, despite making a bright start in which Wilfried Zaha and Kenwyne Jones both tested the Tigers' 'keeper Allan McGregor.
Hull took the lead against the run of play, when a Tom Huddlestone shot from outside the box took a deflection past David Marshall on 18 minutes.
Nikica Jelavic bagged a brace with goals either side of half-time to put the game beyond Cardiff, then Jake Livermore slid home on 67 minutes to condemn the Welsh outfit to a demoralising defeat.
Hull are now up to 11th in the table, a point behind West Ham United, who continued their fantastic form with a fourth Premier League win in a row, seeing off Southampton 3-1 at Upton Park.
Sam Allardyce's side had kept four Premier League clean sheets in a row, but were rocked by a Maya Yoshida opener for the Saints on eight minutes.
Two goals in three minutes turned the game on its head, though, as the Irons took the lead through a 20th minute Matt Jarvis strike and a Carlton Cole goal.
Captain Kevin Nolan found the net for the sixth time in seven league games to complete the victory, taking the Hammers seven points clear of the bottom three.
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Premier League results, Saturday 22 February 2014
Early kick-off:
Chelsea 1-0 Everton
3pm kick-offs:
Arsenal 4-1 Sunderland
Cardiff City 0-4 Hull City
Manchester City 1-0 Stoke City
West Brom 1-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-1 Southampton