Arsenal overpowered north London rival Tottenham 2-0 to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday, a significant scalp in the quest to end a nine-year trophy drought.
Santi Cazorla swept in Arsenal's opener in the 31st minute as Tottenham was run ragged at the home of it fiercest rival.
Arsenal's derby supremacy wasn't reflected in the scoreline, with Tomas Rosicky taking until the 62nd to score the second, charging forward from the halfway line after Tottenham gave the ball away before lifting it into the net.
The victory maintained Arsenal's bright start to 2014, a year when Arsene Wenger will hope to produce the team's first trophy since the 2005 FA Cup.
The Gunners are also top of the Premier League.
Aston Villa was dumped out of the FA Cup by third-tier side Sheffield United in the biggest shock of the third round on Saturday, while 10-man Manchester City was held by Blackburn.
Villa's humbling came days after manager Paul Lambert branded the cup as a "distraction," but rather than making wholesale changes, it was still a strong side that lost 2-1.
Jamie Murphy's deflected shot and Ryan Flynn's strike steered Sheffield United into the fourth round, with Nicklas Helenius scoring Villa's only goal.
Blackburn earned a replay against City after goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon fumbled Rudy Gestede's header before Scott Dann rushed in to sweep the ball into the net to cancel out Alvaro Negredo's opener.
City was left hanging on to the 1-1 draw after Dedryck Boyata was sent off in the 85th minute when a foul on D.J. Campbell earned him a second yellow card.
Southampton squeezed into the fourth round by beating Burley 4-3, while holder Wigan, which was relegated from the Premier League after winning the cup in May, was held to 3-3 by M.K. Dons.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reign as Cardiff manager began with a 2-1 win at Newcastle. After Papiss Cisse put the Magpies in front at St. James' Park, substitutes Craig Noone and Fraizer Campbell hit back with goals for the south Wales club.
In another all-Premier League clash, Dwight Gayle and Marouane Chamakh gave Crystal Palace a 2-0 win at West Bromwich Albion, while Arsenal hosted north London rival Tottenham in the late game.
In surprising results involving lower-league sides, Leeds of the second-tier League Championship lost 2-0 at fourth-tier side Rochdale, and non-league club Macclesfield — the lowest ranking team still in the cup — earned a replay at Championship club Sheffield Wednesday by drawing 1-1.