Surprise LaLiga title contenders Villarreal will end November firmly inside the top four after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mallorca. The win marked their fourth consecutive league triumph and moved them just two points behind table-topping Barcelona.

Villarreal made a blistering start, taking the lead in the sixth minute. Alfonso Pedraza’s cross caused chaos in the Mallorca defence, and the ball fell invitingly for Gerard Moreno, who slotted home.

Mallorca responded almost immediately. Just two minutes later, Gerard Moreno’s loose pass was intercepted by Jan Virgili, who helped set up Pablo Torre. The ball then found Samu Costa, who squared for Luiz Júnior to fire past Villarreal right-back Pau Navarro from a tight angle, restoring parity.

The hosts struggled to create clear-cut chances afterward, though Nicolas Pepe briefly stirred the crowd with a long-range effort that went just wide around the half-hour mark. Mallorca remained a threat, with Junior making a smart save from Torre’s header.

Frustrations mounted for Villarreal just before halftime. A harsh handball decision on Moleiro saw referee Jose Luis Guzman Mansilla book head coach Marcelino, and Moleiro’s subsequent header went straight into goalkeeper Lucas Bergström’s hands. Mallorca also went close through Antonio Sanchez, but Villarreal went into the break level.

After the interval, Mallorca struggled to assert themselves. Marcelino reacted first, making a triple substitution shortly after the hour mark. One of the changes, Georges Mikautadze, saw a strong effort saved by Bergström, who had earlier been booked for time-wasting.

Villarreal’s hopes of taking all three points seemed to fade when a penalty decision in their favour was overturned by VAR. However, late drama delivered the breakthrough: Tajon Buchanan’s cross was inadvertently deflected by Mallorca captain Antonio Raillo into the path of substitute Tani Oluwaseyi, who finished calmly to secure the win.

Pepe could have sealed the game with a penalty, but his appeals were ignored, and Villarreal held on to claim all three points.

The defeat leaves Mallorca with five away losses in six league games this season, keeping them perilously close to the relegation zone in 16th place. Their next LaLiga fixture is a crucial clash at home against 17th-placed Osasuna, a potential six-pointer in the fight to avoid the drop.