Frederic Kanoute struck the only goal of the game as Sevilla ended a run of five successive Primera Division defeats with a narrow 1-0 victory over Osasuna.
Kanoute headed in Jesus Navas' free-kick in the 36th minute as Sevilla recorded their first league win since mid-November.
Sevilla had suffered six defeats and a draw in seven competitive games heading into the Christmas break but they recorded a morale-boosting 5-3 Copa del Rey win over Malaga in their final match of 2010 and they built on that with an important league triumph today.
Gregorio Manzano's men started superbly and Alvaro Negredo and Diego Capel were both twice denied by Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo Lopez before the visitors went close through Juanfran, who brought a good save out of Andres Palop.Osasuna looked to have weathered that early storm but they found themselves trailing in the lead-up to half-time because of Kanoute.
Navas' free-kick was perfect for the veteran striker to race onto and the Mali international powered his header past a motionless Ricardo from seven yards out for his sixth league goal of the season.
That strike would prove to be the decider as Osasuna, once again, found themselves leaving an opponent's ground empty-handed. The Pamplona-based outfit had picked up only two points from a possible 24 on their travels coming into this game - the worst record in the division - while they had only netted four goals away from home.
Osasuna had a couple of opportunities to improve those dismal records in the second half at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but they could not convert them and Sevilla - after three successive home defeats in La Liga - were able to give their fans something to celebrate
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