Donny van de Beek scored a brace as Ajax kept the pressure on Eredivisie pace-setters PSV Eindhoven with a comprehensive 7-1 victory over Excelsior at Stadion Woudestein.
Holland midfielder Van de Beek opened the scoring before Lasse Schone made it two on the stroke of half-time and he completed his double three minutes after the break.
Ali Messaoud pulled one back for the hosts four minutes later, while Kasper Dolberg and Hakim Ziyech sandwiched an own goal by Excelsior's Jerdy Schouten and David Neres added the gloss late on as Ajax remain five points
off the top.
Feyenoord strengthened their hold on third thanks to a 2-0 victory away to fourth-placed Heracles as an own goal from Janis Blaswich and an effort from Jens Toornstra made sure of the points.
Guus Til's second-half strike proved enough as AZ Alkmaar edged a 1-0 victory over ADO Den Haag to move up to sixth.
Elsewhere, struggling Groningen won their second game in succession thanks to first-half goals from Django Warmerdam and Ritsu Doan in a 2-0 win over Heerenveen.