Fredi Kanoute and Adriano returned from injury to great effect as Luis Fabiano's brace helped Sevilla to an eventful 3-2 victory at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
Luis Fabiano's opener was cancelled out by Robert Pires, and David Fuster - on his full debut - then gave the Yellow Submarine the lead.
But Adriano's crosses set up first Luis Fabiano and then Kanoute to give the third-placed hosts a victory which keeps them within four points of the Primera Division summit.
Sevilla started brightly and Diego Perotti's effort was held by Diego Lopez before Luis Fabiano opened the scoring in the ninth minute.
Sergio Sanchez lofted the ball into the penalty area and the Brazilian - marginally onside, though team-mate Alvaro Negredo may have been in advance of the last defender - cushioned the ball down beautifully and finished through the legs of the keeper.
It was almost 2-0 two minutes later as Negredo took Jesus Navas' pass in his stride and burst through the defence, but his shot was superbly kept out by the outstretched hand of Diego Lopez.
Pires and Ruben Cani threatened for the visitors before the veteran Frenchman levelled in the 29th minute.
The former Arsenal winger volleyed home neatly across the body of Palop after a slick one-two with Bruno had carved open the Sevilla defence.
Diego Lopez remained a central figure in the game, though, and made a wonderful diving save at full stretch to turn away Negredo's fierce drive.
And the visitors were also grateful to full-back Joan Capdevila after Negredo broke through behind the defence a minute before half-time. The striker stumbled as he sought to get a shot away, instead teeing up Luis Fabiano - but Capdevila appeared from nowhere to make a goal-saving tackle.
Fuster almost gave Villarreal a dream start to the second half when, increasingly off balance, he rode several challenges but saw his run halted at the last by Sergio Sanchez.
Adriano was introduced for his comeback in the 58th minute, replacing Fernando Navarro, but he immediately had to watch Villarreal take the lead.
Palop stretched out a foot to prevent Pires' dangerous cross reaching Giuseppe Rossi, but Fuster followed up to fire home.
That advantage lasted just two minutes, though, as the overlapping Adriano turned inside onto his right foot and crossed for Luis Fabiano to loop a header over Diego Lopez.
Kanoute replaced Negredo before the restart, and also influenced the game almost immediately with a 66th-minute goal.
Villarreal were caught out by Perotti's quickly-taken corner - from outside the quadrant - and Adriano crossed for the stooping Mali striker to head home powerfully at the near post.
Kanoute rose superbly to head another Perotti set-piece over the bar and Sergio Sanchez did likewise, but Sevilla largely settled for closing out the game in the final 20 minutes.
Luis Fabiano, suffering from a slight injury, was withdrawn five minutes from time to a hero's reception, Lolo taking his place, but Kanoute's stab against the outside of the post after Navas brilliantly kept the ball in play was the last meaningful action on the field.
