Isco refloats wavering Real Madrid
Espanyol had their chances at the Bernabeu but Real Madrid, who dominated the first half but later looked hesitant, showed their teeth to claim their 100 win over the Catalan side.
Two goals from Isco avoided another embarrassing night at the Santiago Bernabeu, and secured a crucial victory for Zidane's team, a win that was far from straightforward.
Having failed to win any of their first three home games in La Liga for the first time since 1995, Real Madrid were looking to put an end to the negative streak. Espanyol were the victim in question, and it looked like the Catalan side were set for a long night when they almost conceded after 27 seconds.
Real got off to a flying start with a golden chance for Isco who should have buried past Pau Lopez, but the Spaniard sent his finish straight into the hands of the oncoming keeper. Zidane's team did not let up, piling on the chances with pateint build-up play. Espanyol's bold approach to the game allowed Real to find spaces in behind the defence, forcing Lopez into action a handful of times within the first ten minutes.
The side managed by Quique Sanchez Flores eventually took a step back to put an end to the flurry of chances. The visitors were camped on the edge of their box with the likes of Isco or Modric knocking the ball around in search of a breakthrough.
And it was the former Malaga man who found the back of the net for the Bernabeu crowd to breathe a sigh of relief. With the half hour mark looming, Isco latched onto a Ronaldo through ball to toe-poke his finish into the net and make up for his early mistake.
The hosts were not content with having found the opener and pushed for a second without giving Espanyol a chance to gather their senses. Ronaldo looked to put and end to his La Liga goal drought but was thwarted by either Pau Lopez or an unfamiliar lack of accuracy.
Madrid's supremacy was evident throughout the first period and they were deservedly ahead at the break, but once again they failed to put enough daylight between themselves and the away side, who fired a warning just before half-time when Moreno pounced on a mistake by Casemiro to smack Navas' right-hand post.
The visitors looked lively as they took a step forward after the break, sensing a slight drop-off in pace from Zidane's team. A mistake from Sergio Ramos almost saw Espanyol go level, but Moreno could not square the ball for Baptistao after dispossessing the Madrid captain inside his own six-yard box.
Immediately after almost conceding the equaliser, Real were up the other end to double their lead. Asensio pulled the ball back for Isco to score his second of the game by firing low into Lopez's bottom left corner.
Zidane's men finally claimed all three points at the Bernabeu, but it was far from a polished performance from last year's champions, who looked nervy at times and the outcome could have been very different had Espanyol made the most of their chances.
Towards the end of the fixture, Espanyol admitted defeat and more chances came Real's way as the game petered out. The hosts were rewarded for their hard work in the second half with a much needed win to take them up to fifth in La Liga.