Diego Simeone's side climbed one point clear of champions Real Madrid and six ahead of third-placed Barcelona at the halfway mark in the Spanish league season.

Atletico claimed a 14th consecutive victory across all competitions, a new club record, and have lost just one top-flight game all season.

It was their eighth straight league win and a fifth clean sheet from those matches, with Simeone's side back to their miserly best in defence.

"We've been doing a great job, we know that it's not over here and there's a long way to go, a lot of games to come," Alvarez told Movistar.

"We have to continue on this path, to keep working with humility, and good things will come."

Atletico started well against an Osasuna side with several regular starters left on the bench, including their top scorer, striker Ante Budimir.

Antoine Griezmann had an early goal ruled out for handball, while his strike-partner Alvarez missed Atletico's best chances of the first half.

The clearest came when Rodrigo De Paul scooped a pass over the top for the Argentina international, but Alvarez's effort, which bounced awkwardly off his shoulder, was saved by Sergio Herrera.

Vicente Moreno's visitors, 11th, improved as the first half progressed and managed to keep Atletico largely at bay.

However early in the second half a clever Rojiblancos corner routine helped them break the deadlock.

Griezmann's whipped cross to the back post was nodded back into the danger area by Clement Lenglet and Alvarez was able to slam home from close range for his sixth league goal since joining last summer from Manchester City.

"It was a move we've been working on, we've had some days to train, to make these strategies," explained Alvarez.

"Luckily today it came off, it's important to score from dead balls, because it can be decisive, above all in hard-fought games like these, which are tricky."

Atletico were not at their sharpest but had more than enough to seal another victory and claim top spot, with Osasuna not troubling Jan Oblak.