Atlético Madrid kept their title challenge alive with a comfortable 3-0 win away at toothless Valencia on Saturday, thanks to a first-half double from Julián Álvarez and a late strike from substitute Ángel Correa.

Former Manchester City striker Álvarez opened the scoring with a 12th-minute rebound and doubled Atlético's lead with a 30th-minute header from Antoine Griezmann's cross.

The visitors took their foot off the gas after the break, but a quick counter-attack saw Correa score a third in the 86th minute.

Atlético are now second in LaLiga on 53 points, two clear of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Barca are top after their win at Las Palmas later on Saturday, while third-placed Real host Girona on Sunday.

Struggling Valencia are third from the bottom on 23 points.

"We are very happy, it was important to win to stay in the title race," Álvarez told Spanish TV Movistar Plus.

"It wasn't an easy match, it's always tough to play at Valencia, so managing to grab three points here playing as well as we did gives you a lot of confidence to keep going."

It was another commanding performance by Diego Simeone's Atlético who are in fine form, having won 20 of their last 24 games in all competitions and losing only once since October.