The two sides came into this game with clear objectives – to take another step towards Europe and another leap towards survival. However the pair swapped roles early on in the encounter.

Rayo were laden with errors early on, and two slips from Randy Nteka gave the ball away in compromising positions for the home side. The first resulted in a corner, where the unmarked Leandro Cabrera was able to head home unmarked. The second saw the ball given away, and Javi Puado capitalised on a miscalculation from Aridane Hernandez, before squaring for Robert Fernandez to slot home inside 12 minutes.

The half did not get much better for Rayo, and if anything, the only positive at half-time was that Puado and company had not made more of their chances. After a double substitution at the break, Rayo improved, dominating the third quarter, and finally forcing Joan Garcia into an excellent save from Alvaro Garcia down low to his right.

Yet the errors from Rayo broke down their comeback attempt again. Fernandez should have scored a ball across the six-yard box that was all too easy, but Pathe Ciss’ desperate block attempt ended in a studs-up challenge, and eventually, a penalty. Puado brought up his 10th goal of the season with a cool penalty, and sealed the match with 20 minutes to go.

Rayo goalkeeper Augusto Batalla, who made two strong saves in the first half to keep them in it, was powerless to stop Puado’s chipped effort in the closing stages, but fortunately for him, it bounced wide without insult to injury. Marash Kumbulla also headed wide late on, as Rayo failed to lift their heads in the final stages. Pere Milla was less forgiving off the bench though, and in a late counter-attack, fired home with his left as four Espanyol players outnumbered the defenders, the first time they have scored four in La Liga this season.

That was a summary of the night, with Espanyol solid at the back, and patient to capitalise on a series of Rayo mistakes, who looked a shadow of themselves. It’s a golden result for Espanyol, who move five points clear of the drop before the other sides play, the first daylight they have had to their rivals in the bottom three in some time. Inigo Perez’s first-half fury turned into resignation, and his side drop to eighth on goal difference, level on points with Celta Vigo and RCD Mallorca.