Malaga beat Villarreal despite Toulalan red card

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Jeremy Toulalan scored and was later sent off as Malaga held on to secure a 2-1 home win against injury-ravaged Villarreal that lifted them back above Sevilla into fifth in La Liga on Monday.

Coached by former Villarreal boss Manuel Pellegrini, ambitious Qatar-owned Malaga took the lead in the fifth minute at their Rosaleda stadium when Frenchman Toulalan nodded in from a corner.

Villarreal's Argentine striker Marco Ruben, filling in for sidelined first-choice pair Giuseppe Rossi and Nilmar, levelled in the 16th minute when he finished off a swift breakaway with a powerful drive high into the net.

The 19-year-old midfielder followed up on Rondon's saved effort to poke the ball past Diego Lopez to give Malaga their fourth win in five matches.

Leaders Real Madrid moved six clear of great rivals Barcelona on 34 points at the weekend after Jose Mourinho's side thumped city rivals Atletico 4-1 and champions Barca suffered their first defeat of the campaign at Getafe, losing 1-0.