Ajax closed to within a point of Eredivisie leaders FC Twente with a 3-0 win over Feyenoord on Sunday, despite playing the last 26 minutes with 10 men.
Viktor Fischer struck twice in the first half and Siem De Jong added a third just after the hour mark to put the home side in command.
Defender Ricardo Van Rhijn was then sent off for a second bookable offence, but Feyenoord were unable to make their numerical superiority count.
Elsewhere on Sunday, FC Utrecht remain sixth in the standings after a 2-0 win away to FC Groningen, with Alexander Gerndt opening the scoring from the spot on 55 minutes and Mike van der Hoorn doubling the lead 10 minutes later.
Roda JC were also 2-0 winners, beating NEC thanks to a first-minute goal from Sanharib Malki and a second from Mikolaj Lebedysnki midway through the second half.
Bottom side Willem II picked up a point with a 1-1 draw at home to ADO Den Haag. Kevin Jansen gave the visitors the lead on 20 minutes, but Hans Mulder equalised 10 minutes from time.
On Saturday, leaders Twente failed to take full advantage of PSV Eindhoven's shock defeat to Zwolle as they were held 0-0 at home to RKC Waalwijk.
The draw moved Twente one point clear at the top of the table after PSV suffered a 3-1 reverse on Friday night.
Fifth-placed Vitesse Arnhem were humbled 4-1 at home by AZ Alkmaar, with Jozy Altidore scoring a hat-trick.
All the goals came after the break, with Altidore opening the scoring in the 55th minute and then, after Roy Beerens had made it 2-0 in the 62nd minute, adding two more in the 64th and 77th minutes.
Vitesse got an 83rd-minute consolation through Gael Kakuta.
Everton scored after one minute to earn Heracles Almelo a 1-0 success at Heerenveen, while it was the same result in contrasting circumstances in Breda as NAC beat VVV-Venlo thanks to Eric Botteghin's 90th-minute effort.
As previously mentioned, PSV ended their winter break in dismal fashion on Friday night as they were upset 3-1 at home by lowly Zwolle, finishing the match with 10 men.
Erik Pieters' return from nine months out with injury was cut short by a red card in the 67th minute, but by the time he departed following a poor challenge from behind on Fred Benson, all four goals had already been scored.
Benson got two of them, putting Zwolle ahead courtesy of some poor defending in the 25th minute and then, after Tim Matacz levelled three minutes before half-time, he put Zwolle back in front nine minutes into the second half after another defensive mix-up.
Wiljan Pluim added a third in the 63rd minute to give Zwolle a rare victory in Eindhoven, and the frustration got to Pieters moments later.
Reports in Holland after the match said Pieters had been taken to hospital after punching a window in anger and cutting his hand.
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