Dani Carvajal: Thibaut Courtois 'Kept Real Madrid in the Match' Against Getafe

Dani Carvajal has praised his team-mate Thibaut Courtois for keeping Real Madrid in the game in their La Liga clash with Getafe on Saturday.

Los Blancos ran out 3-0 winners, although the game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested. Madrid required Courtois to be at his best at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, as he was called into action a number of times to thwart attempts from the home side.

The performance continued what has been an encouraging recent run of form from the Belgium international, and Carvajal singled him out for praise after the game, per Marca:

"He kept us in the match with his two or three great saves. Nobody doubted his potential, not even himself. He is a great goalkeeper and I'm sure he'll win us many more points

"...It was an important win. We had been playing well recently, but had only taken three points out of nine and you need to win three points each time to fight for the title. It was a great effort from the team and we deserved the win."

The win was crucial for Madrid, as it applied pressure on Barcelona later in the day, who visited rivals Espanyol; the Blaugrana were only able to draw 2-2 against La Liga's bottom side, meaning they and Los Blancos are level on points at the top of the table.

Here are the highlights from Madrid's win at Getafe, with Raphael Varane's brace and Luka Modric's late effort giving Zinedine Zidane's team a vital victory:

Although they are still a work in progress this season, the signs are there that Madrid are on an upward trajectory, with the team shoring up their defensive play. Courtois' form has been crucial to that process.

In the previous campaign, Courtois struggled following his transfer from Chelsea, making numerous costly errors. The goalkeeper lacked the confidence and authority that made him such an effective operator in the Premier League.

But he's been making steady improvements since Zidane took charge and has been responsible for a number of solid defensive displays from Los Blancos as of late. Spanish football writer Dermot Corrigan provided the numbers behind the keeper's improved form:

ESPN's David Cartlidge said that Courtois is beginning to look at home in the Real Madrid jersey:

With Sergio Ramos missing the match at Getafe through suspension, Zidane would have wanted other senior members of his squad to show leadership. You suspect the assuredness with which Courtois played and the big moments he produced would have delighted the manager.

If Madrid are to challenge for major honours this season, then Courtois will need to continue this form. Not only are they locked in what promises to be an intense battle with Barcelona domestically, in the UEFA Champions League they face a difficult last-16 showdown with Manchester City.