Arsenal and Chelsea got that feeling again, that wonderful feeling of winning, of three points actually meaning something, of progressing up the table, getting your critics off your back and more importantly putting that smile across the faces of your fans.
Two penalties from Mikel Arteta was enough for Arsenal to end their poor run in the English Premier League, and take them to within two points of their opponents of Saturday West Brom.
Chelsea played out a 3-1 win over Sunderland, with the Blues' Spanish influence, Rafa Benitez included, coming to the fore, as a brace from Fernando Torres and one from Juan Mata sent them on their way to a desperately needed victory.
At the Emirates, all eyes were on the Gunners and how they would respond to the criticism that followed the loss to Swansea. The early signs were encouraging as the pace of play, which has been so lacking in the poor run, was visibly quicker.
Arteta, Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla actually seemed on the same page in the game, trusting each other and making the runs off the ball needed to push forward and create chances.
Gervinho had a brilliant chance early on, after the ball fell perfectly onto his path, but his volley, with the goal gaping, was scuffed and the ball trickled wide.
West Brom, on a two match losing streak going into the game, were hardly threatening, with only a Chris Brunt right-footed effort, which went wide, giving Arsenal any small trouble.
Arsenal were looking much better, as Wilshere and Cazorla started to boss the game, the former's driving runs, particularly catching the eye.
The goal came in the 26th minute. Santi Cazorla went down inside the box under the challenge of Steven Reid, with replays showing there was minimal contact, if at all any. Referee Mike Jones, however, pointed to the spot, with Arteta, after missing that last-minute penalty against Fulham, stepping up to coolly slot it into the middle of the net.
Arsenal had another couple of chances to increase their lead, but that final ball or strike was just lacking. Gervinho came the closest, but saw his low shot palmed away by the excellent Boaz Myhill, who made quite a few vital interventions.
The second half saw West Brom looking to show a little more purpose, but not really getting anywhere when it came to the final third. Arsenal, on the other hand, looked quite comfortable, and easily the more likely team to score.
Arsenal kept looking for the second goal, and finally broke through four minutes after the hour. Again, there was some controversy involved, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had one of his better games this season, nicked the ball off Goran Popov, with the West Brom defender going down, expecting a freekick.
However, the referee Jones waved play on, and Oxlade-Chamberlain drove into the box, with Chris Brunt bringing the Arsenal winger down -- no doubts about the penalty this time, although West Brom will argue there should have been a foul given on the Popov challenge.
Arteta again stepped up to take the spotkick, and in a carbon copy of the first goal, calmly slotted it into the middle of the net to settle all Arsenal nerves.
Lukas Podolski, who came on for Cazorla late on, should have made it 3-0, but inexplicably missed from six yards out, when it would have been easier to score.
At the Stadium of Light, it was all about Torres, as the striker scored two and played a big role in the third. The Spaniard opened the scoring, slotting home a cross from Eden Hazard in the 11th minute.
Torres, who rarely takes penalties, then scored his second from the spot on the stroke of halftime, after Sebastian Larsson had brought down Ramires inside the box.
The former Liverpool man then capped off a brilliant afternoon, when he saw his strike, which hit the crossbar, turned in by Mata early on in the second half.
Adam Johnson got a brilliant consolation for Sunderland, but that is all the home side could manage as Chelsea finally got the win they have been looking for.
Elsewhere, Norwich scored a remarkable 4-3 win over Swansea, while QPR played out their third straight draw under Harry Redknapp, 2-2 with Wigan.
Results: Arsenal 2-0 West Brom; Aston Villa 0-0 Stoke; Southampton 1-0 Reading; Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea; Swansea 3-4 Norwich; Wigan 2-2 QPR.
