Chelsea have one hand on the Barclays Premier League title after Eden Hazard knocked Manchester United out of the reckoning in the leaders' 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Jose Mourinho's third Premier League title and Chelsea's first for five years could be just 11 days away after Hazard's 38th-minute strike sent the Blues 10 points clear of second-placed Arsenal.
Barclays Prem
C Palace 0 - 2 W Brom
Everton 1 - 0 Burnley
Leicester 2 - 0 Swansea
Chelsea 1 - 0 Man Utd
Stoke 2 - 1 So'ton
Mourinho has taken a game-by-game approach to the season and will refuse to get ahead of himself, but win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday week and Chelsea could be crowned champions at Leicester three days later.
Arsenal would have five games to play, but the Blues would have an unassailable 16-point lead and clinch the self-proclaimed Special One's third English championship following his successes in 2005 and 2006.
Barclays Prem
1 Chelsea 76
2 Arsenal 66
3 Man Utd 65
4 Man City 61
5 Liverpool 57
6 So'ton 56
7 Tottenham 54
8 Swansea 47
9 Stoke 46
10 West Ham 43
11 C Palace 42
12 Everton 41
13 W Brom 36
14 Newcastle 35
15 A Villa 32
16 S'land 29
17 Hull City 28
18 Leicester 28
19 QPR 26
20 Burnley 26
United, who began the day eight points behind, dominated the opening period, but their only chance of note saw Wayne Rooney shoot narrowly wide.
Hazard then showed why he is favourite for the PFA Player of the Year prize, netting his 18th goal of the season on the counter-attack following Oscar's fine flick.
Leicester climbed off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League as a 2-0 home win over Swansea gave them a third successive victory.
The Foxes only remain in the relegation zone by virtue of goals difference after moving above Burnley and QPR and drawing level on points with Hull.
Leonardo Ulloa gave Leicester a 15th-minute lead with his first league goal since Boxing Day after he was promoted to the starting line-up by David Nugent's injury in the warm-up.
Andy King settled matters in the final minute when Lukasz Fabianski fumbled Esteban Cambiasso's free-kick as Swansea failed to collect the point needed to better their best-ever Premier League points total of 47.
Burnley's survival hopes suffered a blow in a controversial 1-0 defeat at Everton, Roberto Martinez's Toffees now unbeaten in five league games.
Referee Mike Jones awarded a contentious 10th-minute penalty to Everton after Aaron Lennon had appeared to be fouled outside the area by David Jones, but Tom Heaton saved Ross Barkley's spot-kick.
Kevin Mirallas gave Everton a 29th-minute lead from James McCarthy's cross before Burnley were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half-time when Ashley Barnes was sent off for two bookable offences.
Burnley's mood was not helped in the second half when Mirallas escaped a red card for his dangerous challenge on George Boyd.
Tony Pulis enjoyed a happy return to Crystal Palace as his West Brom side eased their relegation worries by winning 2-0 at Selhurst Park.
Pulis left Palace on the eve of this campaign after saving the Eagles from relegation last season and he did not have to wait long for Albion to take the lead on his old stamping ground.
James Morrison nodded in Chris Brunt's second-minute corner and Craig Gardner's brilliant 30-yard strike after 53 minutes ensured Albion would end a run of three successive defeats with a precious victory.
Stoke beat Southampton 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium as the Potters claimed their first top-flight victory over Saints in 15 matches.
Morgan Schneiderlin put Southampton ahead from close range after 22 minutes when he profited from Jose Fonte's flick-on.
Mame Biram Diouf equalised two minutes after the re-start when Steven Nzonzi's deflected shot came back off the crossbar and substitute Charlie Adam lashed home the 84th-minute winner.
A fumble from Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici in extra time handed Arsenal a 2-1 victory and a place in the FA Cup final.
The Royals keeper, who had made some fine saves earlier in the match, allowed Alexis Sanchez's low shot to squirm between his legs and over the line on 115 minutes, which was enough to see the Gunners return to Wembley on May 30 to try to defend the trophy.
Sanchez had swept the Gunners into the lead on 39 minutes.
However, Reading were level when Garath McCleary's volley was deflected past goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who could only palm the ball back over the line.
Arsenal twice hit the woodwork through a header from defender Gabriel and a close-range shot by Aaron Ramsey, but could not find a winner in normal time.