Celta Vigo 1-3 Real Madrid - RESULT: Cristiano Ronaldo on target as Rafa Benitez's side hang on for victory

Thank you for joining me this afternoon for what was a pulsating top-of-the-table clash in La Liga.

Real Madrid open up a three point lead over today's opponents with Barcelona, who are in action against Eibar tomorrow evening, able to join Real on 21 points at the summit.

And there goes the final whistle. There isn't even time for Celta Vigo to restart. What a thrilling end to the game. Celta probably deserved more, particularly after playing nearly all the second half with ten men.

Real break forward and Denis Cheryshev picks out Marcelo at the back post. The left back, in acres, takes one touch to trap the ball and a second to slide it past Sergio and Real Madrid seal the three points.

Cristiano Ronaldo has a brilliant chance to kill the game. He is clean through on goal and tries to lift the ball over Sergio but doesn't get enough on it and it is a comfortable save.

Nolito stands over a free kick some 35 yards out. It is headed behind by Danilo for a corner. Everyone forward for Celta, but Keylor Navas takes charge and claims the ball to ease the pressure.

Real string a few passes together for the first time this half. There will be five minutes of injury-time here.

The home side are throwing everything at Real Madrid in the final minutes here. They are so open to the counter but they are having a real go.

Ans Celta Vigo have given themselves hope in the final five minutes. It is that man Nolito with the goal. And what a goal it was. He made space on the edge of the box and rifled an effort in to the top corner. He finally beats Keylor Navas. A stunning comeback is on for the 10 men.

RIK SHARMA: Finally Celta score! But is it too little, too late? That's Nolito's seventh in nine matches in the league this season and it's a spectacular hit, thumped into the top left corner from 25 yards out.

John Guidetti and Carles Planas are brought on for Fabian Orellana and Pablo Hernandez

Credit to Celta Vigo, they are continuing to press forward at every opportunity. Iago Aspas with a neat stepover and darts past Sergio Ramos like he wasn't there. But Navas is off his line in a flash and dives at the feet of Aspas, taking a kick for good measure. The goalkeeper has been Real Madrid's best player today. Rafa Benitez does not look happy on the touchline. Still, his side do lead 2-0.

For once Nolito beats Keylor Navas but Marcelo is back on the line to make the block. Nolito bursts into the box, shows great composure to wait for the shooting opportunity, puts it though Navas' legs but the left back clears it away.

RIK SHARMA: Keylor Navas was finally beaten by Nolito, but this time Marcelo saves the day, kicking the ball off the line to keep Madrid two goals ahead.

Real so close to killing the game off. Isco advances with the ball is allowed to reach the edge of the penalty area. The Spain international looks for the top corner but Sergio tips the effort on to the crossbar. Brilliant save.

Isco breaks down the right this time and beat the Celta left back Jonny Castro with ease and lifts a cross towards the back post. Marcelo swings a left foot at it but makes a real hash of it, completely miss-kicking the ball.

Luka Modric is given too much time on the edge of the Celta Vigo penalty area and pick out Cristiano Ronaldo in the box, who prods an effort towards goal, but can't find the connection and Sergio makes the save.

Isco then finds Ronaldo in the right channel. From a tight angle Ronaldo goes for goal but it is blocked behind for a corner. Issco was in acres of space if Ronaldo opted to square, but he was never likely to.

Vazquez, who was booked a few minutes ago, has been taken off and replaced by Isco for the final half an hour.

Celta are down to 10 men! Gustavo Cabral is given his marching orders, for dissent it seems. The defender was booked in the first half and has now picked up a second yellow.

Pablo Hernandez, Iago Aspas and Augusto Fernandez have all been booked in the melee that follows. 

Lucas Vazquez has also been booked for Real Madrid.

The home side should be level. Nolito is played over the top down the left flank and cuts back on to his right foot. The Spaniard has the presence of mind to pick out Orellan on the edge of the box but he skews his effort over the bar.

RIK SHARMA: Orellana sends a strike from 15 yards into Row Z when he should really have tested Navas, and quite possibly scored.

Ronaldo has been relatively quiet, aside from the goal of course, but he springs into life as Marcelo whips in a cross from the left hand side. Ronaldo is up to meet the ball but he can't keep the header down and it flies harmlessly over.

Celta look good when they have the ball but it is the turnover of possession that is a worry for the home side. Real have devastating pace on the counter attack. From one end to other in seconds and Real have a corner.

It comes to nothing but Lucas Vazquez wins a free kick in the Celta half. Ronaldo is on the move and Toni Kroos looks to find him quickly but it is intercepted before it reaches the Portuguese forward.

Really good possession from Celta Vigo in the opening minutes. Fabian Orellana exchanges passes with the impressive Nolito and works room for a shot from the edge of the box but can't get enough bend to bring it from outside the post to back in as it flashes wide.

At the other end Real break and Lucas Vazquez is released through on on goal. He tries to be too clever and lift the ball over Sergio, but doesn't get enough on it and the goalkeeper has the simplest of catches.

Celta Vigo get the second half started and will be hoping to pick up where they left off before the interval. Can they get a goal back?

Rafa Benitez will be delighted to get his players in at the break. Celta were looking increasingly likely to reduce the deficit. And they would have had it not been for the heroics of Keylor Navas.

Celta switched off at the back twice and punished by clinical finishing from Ronaldo and Danilo and lead 2-0 but it doesn't come close to telling the whole story of that first half.

Nolito whips in a dangerous free kick from the left and Fernandez glances a header towards to far corner. But Navas looks determined to keep a clean sheet today as he dives and claws the ball away. Another top save by the Costa Rican.

RIK SHARMA: Can you believe Real Madrid tried to get rid of Keylor Navas this summer? The Costa Rican goalkeeper has been marvellous today, making six saves in the first half, three of which have been quite stunning

Nolito again causing problems down the left. The Spaniard brilliantly jinks past Varane and Danilo into the box and squares it for Aspas, who gets his shot away but finds the hands of Navas in the way again. It's a brilliant instinctive save.

Great play by Nolito though. It is easy to see why there are clubs, namely Barcelona, chasing his signature.

Marcelo looks to break clear on the left for Real Madrid. Celta defender Cabral having none of it and shoves the Brazilian towards the dugout. That yields the first yellow card of the game.

RIK SHARMA: Casemiro doing an excellent job in midfield for Real Madrid. Last season when you looked at Los Blancos you thought they were missing a real defensive midfielder - and now they have one. He was another Rafa request, to bring back to the club from Porto. 

Free kick in a dangerous area after Sergio Ramos is adjudged to have handled the ball. Daniel Wass is over it and goes low Keylor Navas' right. The keeper gets down and pushes it wide. Might have been missing to the right anyway, but he's taking no chances.

Corner comes to nothing.

Celta Vigo not helping themselves, giving th ball away to Ronaldo, who is one on one with Gomez. The Portugal international with a stepover and the drop of a shoulder... but then seems to trip himself up. He wants a free kick but he won't get one.

After lots of Celta pressure Danilo extends Real Madrid's lead. Jese finds the right back in acres of space as he advanced on the right and took one touch to steady himself before side footing it past Sergio in the Celta goal.

RIK SHARMA: Excellent play by Jese in the build-up to Danilo's goal, which is his first for Real Madrid. Celta's left-hand side seemed to melt away like ice, leaving the Brazilian all the time he needed to pick his spot and double Madrid's league. 

Celta Vigo have now had two great chances to equalise, with Keylor Navas making an excellent save from Orellana's half volley after being lucky to survive some headed pinball in front of his goal moments before.

Nolito causing problems down the left and loops a cross towards the back post. Orellana keeps alive and looks for Aspas in the centre but he can't quite grow enough.

Moments later the ball drops to Orellana on the edge of the box and unleashes a powerful strike. It looks to be heading towards the corner of the net but Navas dives to his right and tips the effort wide with a brilliant save.

Real up against it right now.

Orellana breaks down the Celta left and wins a corner off Marcelo. The ball in is deep and Iago Aspas, one of the smallest player on the pitch, gets his head on the ball but it loops over the bar.

Celta Vigo looking for an instant reply. Nolito exchanges passes and gets into the box but, from a difficult angle, cannot pick out the top corner and Navas watches it harmlessly wide.

They were having plenty of the play early on and Cristiano Ronaldo makes the breakthrough. Ronaldo slipped Lucas Vazquez in down the left channel before continuing his run into the box.

Vazquez slides it across the box and Ronaldo fires it into the back of the net. 

RIK SHARMA: The whole defence got sucked in by Lucas Vazquez, shifted over to the left, and his cross was caught by Ronaldo, who slammed home inside the near post. He might not like being in the middle but he's certainly going to benefit from it.

A back pass from Raphael Varane is a little short and former Liverpool striker Iago Aspas closes Keylor Navas down quickly. The Costa Rican rushes off his line and boots the ball into touch.

Jese Rodriguez wins a second corner for the visitors. This time it's played short for Marcelo, before eventually being teed up for Danilo from all of 30 yards, whose shot from range is way off target.

Early corner for Real Madrid. Luka Modric advanbces through the midfield before sliding the ball wide on the right to Lucas Vazquez, whose cross is blocked behind. 

Corner easily cleared at the near post though.

Real Madrid get us underway kicking from right to left in their changed navy strip. How will Real cope without the firepower of Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale?

RIK SHARMA: The surprise in Real Madrid's starting line-up is Lucas Vazquez, the young winger whom Rafa Benitez asked the club to get back from Espanyol at the start of the season. He started against PSG in midweek but most thought he would be dropped with Modric returning into the starting line-up. Instead it's Isco who is on the bench. The Spaniard has looked like he could use a rest, but few thought this would be the time for it.

Neither Celta Vigo nor Real Madrid has been beaten this season and both are on 18 points at the top of the table. The side from the Spanish capital are ahead on goal difference, having scored and kept out more than their opponents. This game takes place in Balaidos, Vigo, where Eduardo Berizzo's team stunned Barcelona a few weeks ago, romping to a 4-1 win. All eyes will be on this game to see if they can do it again against more high-profile opposition.

And welcome along to Sportsmail's live coverage of this top of the table La Liga clash between Celta Vigo and Real Madrid at the Estadio de Balaídos.

We will have a reminder of the teams ahead of kick-off in just five minutes.