Diego Godin, Antoine Griezmann and Koke fired Atletico Madrid to a crucial 3-1 victory over rivals Sevilla.
Godin scored with a first-half header before Griezmann and Koke struck in the second half to move Atletico to within two points of their third-placed visitors.
Sevilla were looking to close the gap on leaders Real Madrid, but only had Joaquin Correa's consolation to show for their efforts and remain eight points adrift as their already faint title hopes suffered another blow.
Defeat capped a miserable week for Sevilla after they were dumped out of the Champions League by Leicester on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Malaga and Leganes fought to a goalless draw at the Butarque.
Malaga moved six points clear of the relegation places with the point, while visiting Leganes are now five points from safety.
Eighteenth-placed Sporting Gijon collected a critical 3-1 win versus Granada at El Molinon.
Lacina Traore, Jean-Sylvain Babin and Carlos Carmona scored in a seven-minute flurry of second-half goals for the home side to answer Sverrir Ingason's opener in the 51st minute.