Real Madrid have moved up to second place in La Liga with a 4-2 win over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The home side took the lead in the seventh minute of the match. Gareth Bale stole the ball from Jose Antonio Dorado and burst into the area, before lifting a shot over Sergio Asenjo and into the far corner of the net.

Villarreal almost responded immediately, as Giovani dos Santos whipped in a cross from the left that found Jonathan Pereira Rodriguez, but the forward fired his effort high over the bar.

Edu Ramos tried his luck with an powerful effort from long range, but it was comfortably saved by Diego Lopez.

Madrid scored their second of the game midway through the half when Bale played in a low cross from the right that was met by Karim Benzema at the near post to slot home.

Two minutes before the end of the first half, Mario Gaspar pulled a goal back for the visitors when he fired a strike into the top left hand corner of the net, with Lopez left rooted to the spot.

After the break Daniel Carvajal threatened to add a third goal for Madrid, but fired a low effort narrowly wide of the post.

In the 64th minute of the contest they extended their lead when Angel di Maria threaded a pass through to Jese Rodriguez, who poked a first-time effort into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later Villarreal scored their second of the evening, as Dos Santos curled a free kick over the wall and out of the reach of Lopez.

Benzema restored the home side's two-goal advantage soon after. Rodriguez laid off the ball to him on the edge of the box, and he drilled a low strike into the bottom corner.