Valencia did just enough to dislodge Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga on Saturday, scratching out a 1-0 home win against a stubborn Sevilla side.

Sevilla's outstanding defence kept Valencia at bay in the first half but Rafa Benitez's side gradually increased the pressure and clinched the points with Mista's header from a Vicente corner after 62 minutes.

The result took Valencia top with 37 points from 17 matches and left Real Madrid, second on 36, needing to win at Real Mallorca on Sunday to go into 2004 as league leaders.

Real Sociedad, championship runners-up to Real Madrid last term, slipped further into relegation danger when they were beaten 3-1 at home to Valladolid.

Atletico Madrid also had a disappointing home result, held 2-2 by Racing Santander, leaving them in fifth behind Osasuna on goal difference.

Atletico led 2-1 with 10 minutes to go after Veljko Paunovic and Kizito Musampa had both struck on the rebound in response to Sergio Matabuena's scrappy opener, but Racing clinched a point when Jonathan scored from the penalty spot.

Valencia were in danger of becoming the third side to drop home points on Saturday as Sevilla kept a stranglehold on the game in the first half.

Sevilla, in fact, had the best chances to take the lead before the break, with Marti squirting the ball wide after a mistake from Santiago Canizares and Dario Silva shaving the post with a close-range effort.

The second half was a different story, as Argentine playmaker Pablo Aimar and Spanish winger Vicente began to see more of the ball.

With 61 minutes gone, Vicente raced down the left and provided a sharp cross for Mista to force a point-blank save from Sevilla keeper Esteban.

From the corner, Mista met another cross from Vicente and this time there was nothing Esteban could do to stop it.

While Valencia were roundly applauded at Mestalla, despite a less than spectacular performance, Real Sociedad were whistled off by their own fans after an eighth defeat of the season left them 18th in the table.

The Basque side, through to the second round of the Champions League but in increasing trouble on the domestic front, started well against Valladolid, taking the lead through Turkish international forward Nihat Kahveci after five minutes.

Valladolid equalised on the half-hour through Ariza Makukula and took the lead in the 72nd minute when Oscar finished off a swift break from defence.

Valladolid wrapped up victory with a Roberto Losada goal four minutes from time and Sociedad's night went from bad to worse when they had defender Agustin Aranzabal sent off in injury-time.