We're under way between Atletico Madrid and Espanyol at the Vicente Calderon!

What did you make of the game? Were Atletico Madrid deserved winners? Should Simeone be concerned by his side's lethargic performance? Tweet me (@grahamruthven)!

So they were made to work for it but Atletico Madrid have their three points and have reduced the gap on Real Madrid at the top of La Liga to just three points. It's all about the points at this stage of the season, rather than the performances. Which is probably just as well, because that wasn't a great display by Atleti.

FULL TIME: Atletico Madrid 1-0 Espanyol

Half a chance for Espanyol, with Garcia dribbling away from a couple of Atletico Madrid defenders. But he lacks composure when he takes his shot, firing the ball well over the bar when he should have done better.

Costa wins a corner kick, which is cheered by the home fans inside the Vicente Calderon. Players and supporters alike are holding out for a 1-0 win here. It's all about getting points on the board.

Four minutes of stoppage time to be played.

YELLOW CARD: Sergio Garcia (Espanyol)

Espanyol sub: Pizzi OFF, Gabriel Torje ON.

Diego plays the ball into Garcia, who turns his marker and shoots on sight from the edge of the box, but it takes a touch off Moreno and goes behind for a corner kick, which comes to nothing in the end.

Even when Atletico are playing this more compact game, Simeone still pushes his fullbacks high up the pitch. At times they're the farthest forward players they have! Almost like wingers.

Cordoba is played down the channel on the counter attack but instead of waiting for support he toe pokes the ball into the side netting. Wrong choice and his teammates are telling him so.

Espanyol sub: Victor Sanchez OFF, Alex Fernandez ON.

YELLOW CARD: Victor Sanchez (Espanyol)

Atletico Madrid are now playing a more compact system with Garcia on the pitch. They're trying to lock this game down at 1-0. It's a dangerous strategy but if it works it will be enough to keep them within touching distance of Real Madrid.

Atletico Madrid sub: David Villa OFF, Raul Garcia ON.

Raul Garcia looks set to come on for Atletico Madrid but perhaps Simeone should re-think that change. Courtois certainly isn't 100 per cent at the moment and should be probably be taken off for his own health.

Lopez shoots from the edge of the box, with the ball taking a skip off the turf and up into the face of Courtois, forcing it behind for a corner kick. The Belgian keeper looks a bit groggy at the moment.

Play is back under way now and Courtois has stayed on the pitch. There's been a lot of talk about of concussion in football recently, so will be interesting to see how the Belgian keeper reacts over the final 10 minutes of the game.

Courtois is receiving treatment at the moment. Replays show he was caught in the head by the boot of Cordoba as he stretched for the ball.