Valencia have moved top of La Liga after beating bottom-of-the-table Cordoba 3-0 at the Mestalla tonight.
First-half goals from Francisco Alcacer and Jose Gaya helped Los Che into a commanding 2-0 lead at the break, before Sofiane Feghouli added a third to down winless Cordoba.
The hosts went into the clash knowing that victory by a three-goal margin would propel them above Barcelona and Sevilla in the standings, and Valencia bagged two of those three in quick succession.
First, Alcacer rose highest to meet Feghouli's cross and plant his close-range header past Juan Carlos on 22 minutes, before Gaya was well placed to double the lead five minutes later.
Albert Ferrer's side might have pulled one back on the stroke of half time, but Diego Alves saved well to deny Nabil Ghilas.
The visitors failed to carry that momentum into the second half and Valencia should have ended matters on the hour mark when Carles Gil missed a gilt-edged chance from six yards.
Gil had a good chance to repent for his earlier miss 12 minutes later but unselfishly opted to square the ball to Feghouli, who thumped past Carlos via the post with the goal that helped Valencia leapfrog Barcelona and Sevilla.
Shane Callaghan
