It was not a good weekend for the teams challenging the big three at the top of the table.
Sevilla's away issues returned with a 1-1 draw at Sporting Gijon, with Jorge Sampaoli's team having 20 shots in total but hampered especially by playmaker Samir Nasri leaving at half-time with a muscle problem.
Athletic Bilbao were also involved in a 1-1, at home to Osasuna in Sunday lunchtime's Basque derby, with youngster Inaki Williams missing the best chance for a winner during a Los Leones onslaught in the second half.
Worst of all was Villarreal's 2-1 defeat at Eibar which saw Fran Escriba's side lose their unbeaten La Liga record. Bruno Soriano's penalty seemed to have set the Yellow Submarine on course for victory at Ipurua, but late goals from Ivan Ramis and Pedro Leon turned things around.
5. Celta still neutrals favourites
If it's thrills and spills you're after then Celta Vigo remain a good bet. At Las Palmas on Sunday evening they raced into a 3-0 lead when Daniel Wass' free kick was followed by Iago Aspas netting his sixth goal in his last six Liga games by skilfully finishing two razor sharp counter attacks.
Las Palmas kept at it though, with help from an injury for Celta winger Fabian Orellana and a debatable red card for his teammate Sergi Gomez, and the Canary Islanders got back to 3-3 through Pedro Bigas' header, Jon Viera's penalty and Kevin Prince Boateng's sharp finish.
"We had expected a crazy game as Celta are a team who make these type of things happen," said UDLP coach Quique Setien afterwards.
It was the first time since 1940 that Celta had blown a three-goal lead in La Liga, and means their last four domestic results.