Barcelona joined Real Madrid on a maximum 15 points at the Spanish league summit with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring for the fifth consecutive game as the champions won 2-0 at Malaga on Saturday.
Ibrahimovic started on the substitutes bench after turning his ankle but came on for the injured Thierry Henry in the 28th minute and needed just 11 minutes to net the opener.
The Swede is now the only player to score in every game and joins team-mate Lionel Messi, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Valencia's David Villa on five goals.
"He (Ibrahimovic) is a key figure in this team and we can play a bit more direct if we need to," said Brazilian Dani Alves. "He can help us a lot with his goals and overall quality."
Ronaldo failed to score in Real's 3-0 home win over promoted Tenerife earlier on Saturday that maintained their perfect start and they sit marginally above Barca on goal difference.
Europe is the next port of call for both teams with Barca facing Dinamo Kiev in the Champions League on Tuesday while Real take on Marseille 24 hours later.
Barca had crushed Racing Santander 4-1 in midweek - scoring three times inside the first 26 minutes - but found Malaga tough going so Ibrahimovic's goal six minutes before the break was a real relief.
After missing a one-on-one seconds earlier the Swede shrugged off the disappointment to score seconds later running onto Messi's lofted pass, controlling on his chest and then firing home.
Defender Gerard Pique popped up with his second goal of the season on 58 minutes using an outstretched toe to poke home Xavi's great cross.
Substitute Albert Luque was sent off in the closing stages for a late tackle on Alves.
Earlier, French international striker Karim Benzema bagged a second half brace as Real defeated Tenerife 3-0 on Saturday for their fifth consecutive win.
Benzema scored twice inside 11 minutes before Brazilian Kaka added a third to delight the Santiago Bernabeu crowd and maintain Real's flawless start to the season.
Real coach Manuel Pellegrini paid tribute to substitutes Guti and Kaka for turning the game in Real's favour.
"It was a poor first half and the changes helped us in the second half," said Pellegrini. "Guti took control in our half and Kaka did it in our opponents' half of the pitch."
"We will lose at some stage but we know what direction we are heading in and the squad looks good."
Sevilla kept to within three points of Real in third thanks to a convincing 4-0 rout over 10-man Athletic Bilbao at San Mames.
Sevilla scored three times in a destructive first half through Brazilian Renato (5 min), Alvaro Negredo (30) and Frederic Kanoute (45).
San Mames is a tough place to go so the result speaks volumes for Sevilla's improvement as they bid to push Real and Barca for the title.
"It is a touch hasty to say that Real and Barca are the only two title challengers," said Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez.
It was a historic day for Real captain Raul, now 32, as he became the club's all-time leading league appearance holder notching his 505th game against Tenerife to beat the previous record of Manolo Sanchis.
It was also a special day for brothers Xabi Alonso and Mikel Alonso, who faced each other in an intriguing midfield battle.
Portuguese centre-back Pepe returned for Real for his first league outing since April 21 when he was slapped with a ten-match ban for stamping on Francisco Casquero in a 3-2 derby win over Getafe.
Ronaldo had scored in the first minute in each of Real's last two league wins but there was no early goal against Tenerife.
This time it was Benzema's turn to take the headlines as he scored twice inside 11 minutes to deflate Tenerife, who hit the woodwork on two occasions.
In Saturday's feature match Valencia host an out-of-sorts Atletico Madrid at the Mestalla Stadium.
Atletico have yet to win this season with just one point to their name and coach Abel Resino is feeling the pressure.
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
