REAL Madrid continued their 100% home record in La Liga and kept the gap on leaders Barcelona at five points after recording a comfortable 3-0 victory over Espanyol.

First-half goals from Sergio Ramos and Kaka put Madrid in control, and substitute Gonzalo Higuain added a brilliant third late on as Manuel Pellegrini's men made it 11 out of 11 at the Bernabeu.

For the third successive week Madrid were playing after Barca had taken advantage of an earlier kick-off by going eight points clear at the summit, Pep Guardiola's men beating Getafe 2-1 this evening.

However, for the third successive time Madrid responded in kind. Despite the return to fitness of five senior players, Pellegrini opted to start with the same XI that last weekend helped Madrid record their first win over Deportivo La Coruna at the Riazor in over 20 years.

And it took the home side just five minutes to take the lead with Ramos on the mark.

Esteban Granero, whose set-piece delivery in the first half created a host of problems for Epanyol, curled in a free-kick and Ramos sent a glancing header just inside the far post.

That was the ideal start for Madrid, but it took them a while after that to stamp their authority on the game.

However, once Kaka pounced on a parried save from Carlos Kameni to put Madrid 2-0 up in the 29th minute, the floodgates looked set to open.

Kameni performed heroics to deny Raul twice and also turn away a Granero free-kick, while Karim Benzema and Raul Albiol should have done better with clear chances at the far post.

Madrid could not add a third goal before the break, but with Espanyol offering little threat to Iker Casillas, the home side would not have been too concerned.

That could all have changed seven minutes after the break if Espanyol substitute Ivan Alonso had made the most of his chance.

However, after he had escaped the attentions of Albiol and broke into the area, he was unable to beat Casillas at his near post.

The visitors would not get any better chances than that to get a foothold back into the game, and Madrid soon set about trying to add to their lead.

Kaka almost netted a third in the 59th minute when his low shot rebounded back off the post before a brilliant one-two between Alvaro Arbeloa and Granero put the full-back in soon after.

The former Liverpool defender could not produce a finish to match the build-up though, as his attempted lob landed on the roof of the net.

The fit-again Higuain, having replaced Benzema in the 71st minute, was next to go close with a left-footed drive that flew just over, before Espanyol briefly threatened with a fizzing 20-yard drive by Facundo Roncaglia that was not too far wide.

Javi Marquez went even closer with a similar effort for Espanyol later on, which could have set up a tense finale if it had gone in.

Madrid survived though, and they wrapped up the triumph with a fine third in the final minute.

A hopeful long punt down the centre of the pitch was superbly controlled by Higuain before he coolly rounded Kameni and rolled the ball into an empty net.

That was Higuain's 12th league goal of the season, moving him three ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was serving the second of his two-match ban tonight.