Athletic Bilbao's early-season momentum came to a stunning halt as they were thrashed at home by Sevilla.
In a match expected to be a close encounter between two teams in the top four, Sevilla mercilessly swept aside their hosts with three goals before half-time from Renato, Alvaro Negredo and Fredi Kanoute.
Any slim hopes of an Athletic fightback were further hit with the 55th-minute dismissal of Fernando Amorebieta for a second bookable offence, and Jesus Navas completed the rout with 15 minutes to go.
Sevilla never allowed Athletic to settle and took the lead in only the fifth minute.
Andoni Iraola brought down Diego Capel and Renato fired in the resulting free-kick from just outside the area.
Athletic's characteristic swagger of the season so far was missing as they struggled to get anything going in the final third of the field.
It took until the 18th minute for them to have a meaningful sight on goal, but although Andres Palop spilled Gaizka Toquero's shot, Fernando Llorente could only send his follow-up shot straight back to the goalkeeper.
Moments later, Sevilla had doubled their lead as Capel crossed from the left to leave Negredo with a simple finish.
As the game moved past the half-hour mark, Athletic finally began to wake from their slumbers.
Markel Susaeta sent a shot narrowly over before Carlos Gurpegi headed narrowly wide from David Lopez's corner.
At the other end, Gorka Iraizoz had to be alert to punch clear Negredo's close-range header from Navas' free-kick.
Toquero then brought a good save from Palop with a low shot before sending a second chance over the crossbar.
Negredo continued to be a constant menace to the Athletic defence, and the former Real Madrid man was unlucky to see a shot from the edge of the area crash back off the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
As the game moved into first-half stoppage time, Iraizoz parried another Negredo effort, but the goalkeeper could do nothing to stop Kanoute's close-range shot.
Athletic showed few signs of getting back into the game early in the second half, with a missed Llorente shot all they had to show for their efforts in the first 10 minutes.
And they were then hit by another huge blow when Amorebieta brought down Sergio Sanchez to collect a second yellow card and receive his marching orders.
Sevilla almost added insult to injury as Negredo fired narrowly wide meeting Sanchez's free-kick.
Athletic's resolve was all but gone, and Sevilla dominated the game the rest of the way.
Capel and Luis Fabiano both saw good shots charged down by Ustaritz, but the fourth goal was not far away.
It came when Renato crossed from the left and Navas was on hand to smash the ball home and leave Athletic reeling, wondering why their form had deserted them so completely.
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