Atletico Madrid 3-0 Real Betis: Yannick Carrasco and Joao Felix among the goals as champions close in on Liga leaders

Yannick Carrasco scored a stunning goal as Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to Real Betis in La Liga.

Despite being winless in three games, the home side started well and carved out the better opportunities in the first half with Claudio Bravo making a good save to deny Antione Griezmann while Mario Hermoso curled a shot over after an error from the former Manchester City keeper from a corner.

Carrasco broke the deadlock with a lovely bit of skill to beat Martin Montoya before rocketing the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

Betis made two changes at the break and improved but it was still Atletico who carved out the better opportunities with Hermoso having a goal chalked off for offside while Stefan Savic and Luis Suarez both spurned good chances.

But a Halloween horror show from German Pezzella handed Los Rojiblancos a two goal advantage after the ball skimmed off his head from Griezmann's cross and went into his own net.

Manuel Pellegrini continued to make changes but it was one of Atletico's subs who made it 3-0 with Joao Felix firing the ball into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season, a much needed win for the La Liga champions ahead of their Champions League clash with Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but Manuel Pellegrini may feel that he got his starting XI all wrong. Coming into this game Betis were the form team with three wins in a row while Atletico were winless in three and shipping goals. But the Chilean dropped Borja Iglesias to the bench despite him scoring twice in the win over Valencia while Nabil Fekir was also benched in favour of Rodri Sanchez.

The net result was a largely toothless display in attack and Diego Simeone's side have the lions share of the possession and creating the better chances.

The mercurial Belgian was on fire today to get his side back to winning ways. With Thomas Lemar and Marcos Llorente out injured, Carrasco stepped up with a wonderful opening goal and an assist for Felix in the closing stages.

ATLETICO MADRID: Oblak 5, Savic 5, Gimenez 7, Hermoso 6, Carrasco 8, Trippier 6, de Paul 8, Koke 5, Correa 5, Griezmann 7, Suarez 5. Subs: Felix 7, Herrera n/a, Cunha n/a, Lodi n/a.

REAL BETIS: Bravo 5, Montoya 4, Pezzella 4, Gonzalez 6, Moreno 6, Guardado 6, Carvalho 5, Rodri 5, Canales 5, Juanmi 5, Jose 5. Subs: Garcia 5, Tello 6, Iglesias n/a, Rober n/a.

18' - CLOSE! Lovely counter from the hosts.Correa to Griezmann whose venomous strike towards the near post is turned around the post by Bravo.

26' - GOAL FOR ATLETICO! From Correa's pass, Carrasco with a thumping finish in the box at the near post, the ball rocketed into the roof of the net.

31' - SO CLOSE! Bravo with a hairy moment reminiscent of his Man City days.From a corner, he drops the ball, Griezmann's shot is charged down, it falls to Hermoso who curls his effort over.

49' - DISALLOWED GOAL! From a corner which is taken short, Griezmann's cross is headed in by Heremoso from close range but an offside flag is raised and VAR confirms it.

63' - OWN GOAL! Griezmann floats a cross into the box, Pezzella rises with Gimenez and the ball skims off his head and nestles in the bottom corner, Oh dear.

80' - GOAL FOR ATLETICO! Less than 10 minutes after coming on, Felix scores after running into the box, collecting Carrasco's pass and strokng a shot into the bottom corner.

Atletico keep a clean sheet having conceded seven goals in their previous three games.