PSV Eindhoven are seven points clear while Ajax claimed a win at Heracles.
PSV Eindhoven moved seven points clear at the top of De Eredivisie on Sunday with a hard-fought 2-1 win at third-place AZ Alkmaar.
Guus Hiddink's side made a lightning start to the match at Alkmaarder Hout and found themselves two goals to the good inside the first six minutes.
Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was the first to get his name on the scoresheet in the third minute before Ivorian striker Arouna Kone put a woeful miss in midweek UEFA Champions League action behind him to double the visitors' lead.
Stijn Schaars' reply for the hosts shortly after the hour mark made for a tense final 30 minutes but PSV held out to claim a notable victory.
Ajax claimed a 3-1 win at Heracles despite falling behind to Thijs Sluijter's 19th minute strike.
Having got over that initial shock, Danny Blind's side regrouped and levelled through Klaas Jan Huntelaar on the stroke of half time.
The score stayed the same until the 82nd minute when the Amsterdam ArenA outfit stole the lead through Michael Timisela's strike eight minutes from the end before Ryan Babel embellished the scoreline in stoppage time.
Second-place Feyenoord earned a 1-1 draw at Groningen through Pierre van Hooijdonk's 70th minute equaliser in Sunday's final kick-off.
Mark Fledderus had put the hosts into the lead in the 11th minute but the side in fifth failed to hold on for all three points.
Elsewhere, Utrecht and Heerenveen continued fine campaigns with 2-1 wins over Roda JC and NAC Breda respectively.
Hjalte Norregaard gave Heerenveen a second minute lead, however, NAC equalised almost immediately through Vitor Santiago.
And the game appeared to be heading for a draw until Daniel Pranjic struck the hosts' winner in the 83rd minute.
Utrecht, meanwhile, dispatched Roda and were given a helping hand when Vincent Lachambre put the ball into his own net in the sixth minute.
Adil Ramzi doubled his side's lead in the 29th minute before Gregoor van Dijk scored what proved to be no more than a consolation in the 41st minute.
Click below for an individual match summary:
AZ Alkmaar 1-2 PSV Eindhoven
Heerenveen 2-1 NAC Breda
Heracles 1-3 Ajax
Utrecht 2-1 Roda JC
Groningen 1-1 Feyenoord
