Espanyol 1-0 Real Mallorca: RDT does the business

Four draws and seven defeats at home. Bottom of the league for seven weeks in a row. Espanyol have suffered in Cornella this season. But Mallorca have suffered too, on the road. Nine defeats and a draw for the islanders, meaning something had to give when they met on Sunday.

Or not - it could have been a draw - but Raul de Tomas is on a streak of his own, now with four goals in four league games since joining from Benfica. Five in five with a cup match in included. What a signing.

Just the kind of guy you need in a relegation battle like this, the kind of guy who finds it easier to score than not. His goal was simple, a header into the far corner from Sergi Darder’s cross. Espanyol just about deserved it too, shading an error strewn clash which shows just why these sides are down at the bottom.

It’s so tight down there. Espanyol are 19th on 18 points, Mallorca 17th on the same. Leganes in the middle of the sandwich. Celta Vigo bottom on 17 but having only played 22, a game less, with that match against Sevilla tonight.

Mallorca had opportunities. They were awarded a first half penalty when Marc Roca shoved Ante Budimir but VAR showed the ball had gone out beforehand.

Then, after Manolo Reina denied Darder, they could have equalised at the death with a Budimir header that looped not far wide. If they were going to score it would be through him, the Croatian who netted twice against Barca. But in the tale of two strikers, it was RDT who came out on top.