Manchester City took their chance to up the pressure on title rivals Liverpool with an ultimately commanding victory against Arsenal.
A rout looked on the cards when Sergio Aguero opened the scoring within a minute, but Laurent Koscielny's relatively swift equaliser stunned the expectant Etihad.
With City, so used to having things their own way, beginning look rather rattled, the moment of quality which produced Aguero's second on the stroke of halftime would prove the game's decisive moment.
Arsenal's challenge fizzled out in the second period, and after Aguero completed his hat-trick, they appeared more interested in preventing humiliation than a pursuing an unlikely route back into the game.
Aguero Serges into Golden Boot race
Aguero seems to at his unstoppable best on the big occasion at the Etihad. Having netted in the home games against local rivals Manchester United and league leaders Liverpool already this season, the Argentine delighted the adoring supporters again with a dazzling performance.
There are examples of finer hat-tricks, but this treble was all about Aguero's attacking instincts. His instant first was a close-range header he couldn't really miss, his second was an unmarked tap-in at the back post and the third was oh-so-scrappy (and slightly illegal).
You could argue that Arsenal gave the prolific frontman far too much space in advanced areas, but equally you could praise his excellent positional sense. The goals looked fairly easy, but as per the old axiom, you have to be there to score them.
Either way, Aguero is building ominous momentum again. That's six goals in as many games, and 14 for the season. That leaves him just two shy of Mohamed Salah at the top of the scoring charts.
Arsenal's big six away woes continue
Unai Emery's appointment heralded a new era at Arsenal, but one rather depressing constant from the latter part of Arsene Wenger's tenure is their miserable trips to big six opposition.
They have collected only a point in those fixtures this season, and that came at Old Trafford when United's nightmare under Jose Mourinho was drawing to a close.
Chelsea, Liverpool (emphatically) and now City have all had too much for Emery's men. Spurs will fancy heaping further woe on their archrivals at Wembley at the beginning of March.
Their recent record against their chief competitors makes for dismal reading. They are winless in 21, amassing just seven points from a possible 63.
If Emery intends to make Arsenal a force again, he will have to turn those fortunes around. His first away win against a top-drawer opponent will be a significant benchmark. At this point, supporters will have forgotten just how sweet such results taste.
Gunners' defensive frailty exposed again
The above point should not be taken to imply that fans expected much more from this particular fixture.
In the meeting of the league's most irresistible attack and Arsenal's meek defence, the outcome was predictable.
Arsenal had virtually their whole team back in the early stages but still they handed the hosts the lead after conceding possession in their own area.
City's second did, in fairness, ooze class, but still criticism is warranted, since their path to goal - a ball in behind the full-back followed by a low driven ball across the box - was all-too-familiar.
The third also came from the flanks - an avenue City could relentlessly exploit. Perhaps Emery ought to have selected a five-man defence to cover off the wide threat, but he could surely have expected his team to wise-up to the opponents' strategy.
In general, these recurring defensive problems aren't the result of any tactical failings, or even injuries. The current batch of personnel is simply not good enough, and only through significant investment will Arsenal be able to build a defensive foundation from which they can achieve success.
Visitors fail to build on promising spell
After snatching an equaliser out of nothing, Arsenal began to grow into the contest. What had threatened to be a free-flowing City masterclass became a real battle, which the away side looked genuinely up for. It seemed they had realised that attack was the best form of defence against the champions.
But they failed to capitalise on the steadily increasing anxiety in Etihad. Arsenal did not use the ball well enough in advanced positions, and dangerous passes into Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang were scant.
Indeed, Aubameyang, Arsenal's most dangerous player, was on the periphery throughout, just as he was at Anfield in December.
It seemed as if they had hatched a plan to spring a surprise, but they couldn't execute it - frustratingly, given their evident attacking capabilities.
After City scored on 44 minutes, against the run of play, Arsenal's threat was no more.
Guendouzi impressive on the big occasion
One positive for Arsenal was the performance of Matteo Guendouzi, who yet again hinted at the extent of his potential.
Guendouzi was a composed and intelligent presence in the first-half, using the ball better than any of his team-mates.
Nobody in red could better his passing accuracy of 91.4% or match his tally of four accurate long balls.
There was little he could do to prevent a collective City onslaught thereafter, but his display should nonetheless inspire considerable confidence.
To embrace the cliché, he demonstrated a maturity beyond his tender years.
A missed chance for a 'bonus point'?
The gap at the top of the league is down to two points ahead of Liverpool's tricky visit to West Ham, but in a sense, City did miss an opportunity here.
With the Reds looking slightly jittery already, it promises to be a tight battle until season's end. And goal difference could be crucial in that.
City's is now five better than that of their opponents, having played a game more of course, but they could easily have extended that advantage further.
Time and again they cut Arsenal open, only to see the chance go begging, whether through a last-ditch challenge, a mistake or a touch of selfishness.
They were for the taking. The effective half point a team gains from a superior goal difference was there for the taking.
It says a lot about the customary ruthlessness of this City side that there may be the slightest hint of disappointment in only winning 3-1.