Arsenal have fallen five points adrift of the top four after a goalless draw at Bolton as Newcastle climbed into fifth on the Premiership table through a fortuitous win over Blackburn on Wednesday night.
At the Reebok Stadium, Bolton's recent renaissance continued as they held Arsenal to a deserved 0-0 draw.
The Gunners opened the match well on top of their opponents but as their early efforts went unrewarded, the Trotters gradually worked their way into the contest.
As the match progressed an ashen-faced Arsene Wenger would have been ruing his side's missed opportunities during the first half as skipper Robin van Persie saw an effort cleared off the line by David Wheater, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain struck wide.
Van Persie almost produced a classic goal after the half-time, only to see his perfectly-struck lob strike the bar.
David Ngog had also gone close on two occasions for the hosts during the first half, while Bolton also had a late penalty appeal denied after Mark Davies was brought down in the area by Wojciech Szczesny.
The result, though, saw Arsenal tumble to seventh on the premiership table, the Gunners now five points adrift of Chelsea (fourth) and the Champions League places as the point saw 17th-placed Bolton climb two points clear of the relegation zone.
As Arsenal faltered, Newcastle were on hand to take advantage as they defeated Blackburn 2-0 despite missing a host of star players on African Nations Cup duty.
In a sometimes temperamental affair at Ewood Park, a Scott Dann own-goal saw the Magpies take the lead, before Rovers were denied an equaliser two minutes before the break when David Dunn produced a weak spot kick that Tim Krul saved after Anthony Modeste was brought down by Danny Simpson.
And, Newcastle made them pay as Gabriel Obertan sealed the result during injury time, ensuring Blackburn (18th) remain in the relegation zone.
Sunderland, meanwhile, have moved up to eighth on the table through a 3-0 win over Norwich (11th).
Starting in the Premier League for the first time since 2010, Frazier Campbell opened the scoring for the Black Cats with a 21st-minute screamer from 25 metres before Stephane Sessegnon started a move that finished with him nodding home Campbell's cross.
And, nine minutes after the break, Phil Bardsley's cross took a serious deflection off Daniel Ayala's knee to complete the scoreline.
Aston Villa, have remained in 12th on the Premiership table through an eventful 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers (16th) at Villa Park, a match that saw Villa defender Stephen Warnock concede a calamitous own-goal.
New signing Djibril Cisse opened the scoring for QPR in the 12th minute on his debut for the club after being signed just the day before, while Warnock's dismal headed clearance in the 29th minute had to be seen o be believed as he perfectly nodded Taye Taiwo's cross beyond Shay Given's disbelieving dive.
However Darren Bent pulled one back for the hosts during first-half injury time and his effort pumped up the Villains as they launched a series of raids on the QPR goal after the break.
But despite Paddy Kenny's best efforts between the sticks for Rangers, Charles N'Zogbia was on hand to volley home Stilliyan Petrov's cross.
Villa produced 23 shots at goal to three in this encounter, but QPR held on for a valuable point.
And lastly, 15th-placed West Bromwich Albion snatched a 1-1 draw with Fulham (13th) through Somen Tchoyi's 82nd-minute equaliser.
The Cottagers opened the scoring through Clint Dempsey's 69th-minute goal but Tchoyi was on hand to fire home, having just come onto the pitch five minutes earlier.