Ikechukwu Uche has guided Villarreal back to form with a brace in a 2-0 victory over Almeria in La Liga.
Manuel Trigueros troubled Almeria with his runs into the box throughout the game, and he threatened early on with a low effort which Ruben pushed past the post.
Despite being forced onto the back foot for long spells, Almeria could have taken the lead had Ximo Navarro's long-range strike not been tipped wide by Sergio Asenjo.
Ruben appeared to keep out Villarreal once again midway through the first half with a fine save from Mario Gaspar's shot, but Uche reacted quickly to head home from a few yards out.
Almeria's challenge quickly faded as the hosts took control by dominating possession either side of the half-time interval.
Uche doubled his personal tally and Villarreal's advantage just before the hour mark by firing in from close range after Ruben had stopped his initial effort.
The hosts threatened to win more emphatically late on, but Almeria limited the damage on a disappointing night for the visitors.
Callum Mulvihill
