The Andalusian outfit failed to take advantage of fourth-placed Atletico Madrid's own 2-2 draw at Valencia on Friday. Sevilla stay fifth, level on 40 points with Diego Simeone's side who occupy the final Champions League place. Espanyol remain last, three points from safety alongside Leganes, who earlier played out a goalless draw with Real Betis.

Lucas Ocampos headed Sevilla in front after 14 minutes before Adrian Embarba levelled the scores with a free-kick that crashed through a poor wall. China winger Wu Lei put the away side ahead when he slotted home Espanyol's second five minutes after the break. However Victor Sanchez was sent off for a second bookable offence when he clipped over Youssef En-Nesyri as the Moroccan forward surged towards goal.

Suso exploited Sevilla's man advantage to score his first goal for the club since arriving on loan from AC Milan last month, cutting inside before firing inside Diego Lopez's near post.

The Basque derby between Eibar and Real Sociedad is awaiting a new date after being called off on Saturday due to poor air quality. Sociedad were due to make the short journey to Eibar, an industrial town in a narrow valley, for a 1500 GMT kick-off.

However the Basque regional health department had recommended that sports be avoided in the area after a rockslide on February 6 into the Zaldibar rubbish dump, about eight kilometres (4.97 miles) from Eibar's Ipurua stadium. Two employees of the company which manages the dump are still missing.

Later Real Madrid can restore their three-point lead at the top of the division when they host lowly Celta Vigo at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Adrián Embarba

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