Cañizares moved back to the top of the table without moving a finger this week as his closest rival Cavallero threw an uncharacteristic wobbly and let in three goals against Racing Santander. The Spanish international keeper is not expected to recover from his knee injury until the new year, but he will have some problems getting his place back after Palop put in one of the performances of the season in the Champions league at Arsenal, and then kept another clean sheet at the weekend at Villarreal. The young keeper has not let in a goal since taking over from "Cañi" four games ago.

Palop's was one of no less than eight clean sheets this weekend. Notario and Sanzol join Cavallero in the table as their sides recorded wins against the two Barcelona based sides Barça and Espanyol respectively, and Juanmi is only one behind them after Depor's late victory over Málaga. The other four, Dutruel (Alavés), Lemmens (Racing), Etxeberría (Rayo) and Bizzarri (Valladolid) were also on the winning sides in a strange weekend where there were no draws at all in the first division.

Elsewhere, Aranzubia came in for only his second league match of the season at Athletic, and Sergio Sánchez made his third appearance for Espanyol. Recre full back Espinola also rounded off a game he said he would be able to tell his grandchildren about, scoring early on against Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu and then playing the last five minutes in goal after Luque was sent off with all three substitutions made. He won't be able to tell them that he saved Figo's penalty though. That would have been too much for one day. (18.12.02).