Real Madrid know they're in a strong position at the top of the table.

Not only did Real Madrid avoid seeing their two-point lead shrink in the Madrid derby on Saturday night, they also managed to extend their LaLiga edge over second place Barcelona to four points.

Los Blancos cemented themselves as the class of the competition with an indisputable 3-0 win against crosstown rivals Atletico Madrid, although the 12 fixtures played thus far do not even amount to one third of the full calendar.

The last time Madrid held a commanding four-point advantage through the first dozen matches dates back to the 1991/92 campaign, when wins were still worth only two points.