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Valencia's captain and defender Carlos Marchena celebrates after scoring a goal against Xerez during their Spanish league football match at Chapin stadium in Jerez. Valencia made it seven wins from nine on the road defeating bottom side Xerez 3-1 to move three points behind second-placed Real Madrid in the Spanish top-flight.

Spanish internationals Juan Mata, David Silva and Carlos Marchena were all on target to clinch victory at Xerez and boost confidence for Thursday's last 16 King's Cup match at Deportivo La Coruna.

Deportivo are four points behind Valencia in fourth after a 1-0 home victory over Osasuna on Sunday thanks to a Juan Rodriguez goal.

Going into the Xerez game, Valencia had the best away record in the league while Xerez had the worst home record so everything pointed to an away win.

Mata put Valencia into a 10th minute lead firing past goalkeeper Renan Brito, on loan at Xerez from Valencia, as the home fans feared the worst.

Carlos Calvo then equalised for Xerez on 25 minutes only for Silva, returning from injury for his first start since the end of November, to restore the lead eight minutes later.

Marchena added a third on 69 minutes as Valencia eased to victory and they now prepare for Thursday's King's Cup second leg against Deportivo at the Riazor Stadium. To reach the quarter-finals Valencia will have to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.

Xerez continue to prop up the table after their 12th loss of the season and are eight points from safety.

In other matches, new Real Zaragoza coach Jose Aurelio Gay has not managed to change the club's fortunes as his side crashed to a 2-1 loss at Espanyol and stay second from bottom.

Gay has yet to win any of his three league matches in charge while Zaragoza have not won away from home this season.

Elsewhere, Malaga remained third from bottom after a 1-1 home draw with Athletic Bilbao.

Brazilian centre-back Weligton put Malaga ahead two minutes after the break but Fernando Llorente equalised from the penalty spot 11 minutes from time.

It was another draw for specialists Malaga who have drawn eight out of their 17 matches so far.

Later Real Madrid can go top of the table with victory over fifth-placed Real Mallorca at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real have won all eight of their home matches and Mallorca coach Gregorio Manzano believes Madrid can end the dominance of treble winners Barcelona.

"Now I see a Real Madrid side able to break the hegemony of Barcelona," said Manzano. "Each time I see a better team, better armed and with a better knowledge of what they want."

Barcelona, two points ahead of Real, travel to Tenerife in Sunday's late match looking for their first win of the new year.

It will be a special game for Barcelona's 22-year-old winger Pedro Rodriguez who was born on the island of Tenerife and supported the club as a boy.

"I will be among my own people and with me friends," said Pedro. "It will be a very special game for me."

"I will not celebrate if I score though out of respect for all the people on Tenerife that have supported me."