Video: emphatic 4-0 win and top spot for the royals: Real Madrid flex their muscles against Malaga
Mourinho wins the rotation gamble
Real Madrid moved top of La Liga after brushing aside Malaga 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday.
Bellingham opened the scoring in the 19th minute, bursting through the Malaga defence before firing an excellent finish into the net.
Malaga's players protested, demanding a foul against Bellingham at the start of the move, but the referee let the goal stand.
Seven minutes later, Bellingham turned provider. He powered a header goalwards, a Malaga defender tried to hack it clear, but the ball cannoned off the back of goalkeeper Alfonso Herrera and trickled in.
The third arrived in the 30th minute. Kylian Mbappe latched onto a superb Arnold cross to put the game to bed early for Los Blancos.
Arda Guler made it four in the first minute of stoppage time. The Turkish playmaker slipped the ball to Vinicius, who skipped past a Malaga defender and squared it back for Guler to tap home.
That win lifted Real Madrid to nine points and top spot, ahead of Atletico Madrid on seven, while Malaga stayed rooted to 18th on a single point.
Jose Mourinho made five changes from the side that faced Real Sociedad, yet his Madrid looked rock solid.
Antonio Rudiger, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Marc Cucurella, Brahim Diaz and Eduardo Camavinga all started. Bernardo Silva, Konate and Dumfries were among those left on the bench.
Real Madrid took their foot off the gas in the second half, safe in the knowledge that the first period had already settled things.
Diomande replaced Brahim Diaz on 65 minutes, then Bernardo Silva came on for Valverde in the 75th to freshen things up.
Drama followed on 85 minutes. The referee pointed to the spot for Malaga, Real Madrid's players surrounded him, and he went to the pitchside monitor. He then overturned his decision, having seen the ball come off Rudiger's head in the wall and strike Diomande's arm with no intent.
Real Madrid dropped deep to defend and look for counters as Malaga pushed forward chasing a consolation.
Los Blancos punished them for it. A swift break ended in that fourth goal, a lovely combination between Guler and Vinicius.
