Villarreal's top-four hopes remain on track after Roberto Soldado's early goal earned them a 1-0 Primera Division win over Malaga.
The former Tottenham striker scored the game's only goal after 18 minutes, firing into the bottom corner from the edge of the area after a one-two with Leo Baptistao.
Although they only managed one goal, Marcelino's men were utterly dominant and worthy of a win that extended their unbeaten run in the league to 11 games.
They stay in fourth place, 11 points ahead of nearest challengers Sevilla, while Malaga remain in 10th spot.
Soldado tested Malaga goalkeeper Carlos Kameni with less than two minutes on the clock, forcing the keeper to parry his shot, defender Raul Albentosa eventually clearing the loose ball.
Villarreal then had two penalty appeals turned down in the space of a couple of minutes, but did not have to wait long to go ahead.
Soldado held the ball up well on the edge of the area and exchanged passes with Baptistao before picking his spot, his shot creeping under the body of Kameni. It was just a fourth league goal of the season for Soldado, his first in exactly two months.
Kameni did manage to prevent a second goal soon after, tipping a shot from Jonathan dos Santos over.
His opposite number Alphonse Areola had to make a double save at the other end to deny Croatian forward Duje Cop.
Malaga forward Juanpi had the visitors' best chance after the break, shooting first time but narrowly missing the target.