James Rodriguez has been out for a while with a broken toe so it makes sense to get him off with this game well and truly won. Jese is on. Karim Benzema is also withdrawn, with Javier Hernandez getting a run-out in his place.

Granada's second change sees Fran Rico replaced with Pascual Eddy.

In between all the goals, there was a substitution as Granada withdrew Ruben Rochina and sent Piti on. I'm sure he will thank his manager for that!

Real have also opted to give Toni Kroos a rest. To be fair, he was hardly required to do anything anyway. Asier Illaramendi is his replacement.

More shambolic defending from the visitors and Karim Benzema helps himself to his second and Real's SEVENTH. The Frenchman takes his time inside the box and forces his shot through two defenders before the ball finds its way into the net via a deflection off the keeper. Over 30 minutes still to play.

Image source, AFP

Groundhog Day. More poor Granada defending and once again I'm typing Goal - Real Madrid. It is Ronaldo again, who is bang in front of goal to stoop low and head in a flicked cross from Gareth Bale. Ruthless.

After the two-shot salvo from Granada, normal service is resumed. Karim Benzema is gifted it as he is allowed to chest the ball down from a corner (yes, chest it down) before firing in to the net. The away side have lost this game already and they are in danger of losing their dignity.

Demola Oke: Feels like #bbcfootball livetext has gone into goal highlights. Real Madrid scoring is the only thing that's coming up.

Andrew Edward Gray: Madrid must be trying to get a five a side scoreline here.

Granada start the second half with two long-range shots in 60 seconds from Daniel Candeias and Ruben Rochina (remember him?). They don't score with either of them as Casillas saves the first one and gathers the second at the second attempt. Soon after Real Madrid's Luka Modric fires one over the bar from 25 yards out.

Image source, AFP

Ronaldo's eight-minute hat-trick is, perhaps not surprisingly, the fastest of his Real Madrid career. It's his fifth of this season alone, and his 24th in La Liga, which draws him level with Lionel Messi. It's also his 28th in all competitions for the European champions.

The Granada players would probably happily walk away from this at the break. they have another 45 minutes to endure, though. Real get us back under way, with the bit firmly between their teeth.

So, barring an absolute miracle I think we can take it for granted that Real Madrid are going to be one point behind Barcelona when the league-leaders take to the field against Celta Vigo later today. This is doing Real's goal difference no harm either. They are now on +56 and could do with a few more to make ground on Barcelona's +63 tally.

In all competitions in 2014/15, Ronaldo now has 47 goals in 44 games. That includes 34 in 26 La Liga matches.

John McEnerney: "let's remember this is the bottom team in La Liga, let's see RM against a decent side & they fair out. Flatlined since Xmas!"

Well, that was as one-sided as you are going to get. Real toyed with Granada in the early stages before tearing them a new one. Gareth Bale got the ball rolling before Cristiano Ronaldo took over with an eight-minute blitz to bag his first hat-trick since early December. It is the fifth time he has scored three or more goals in a single match this season.

Whoa, where did that come from?! Youssef El Arabi puts his foot right through one from 25 yards that beats Casillas all ends up, hammers into the underside of the bar and bounces down just the wrong side of the line. El Arabi turns around after and shrugs his shoulders. It is a gesture that almost seems to say 'what would it matter anyway?'

Image source, Getty Images

I started this text commentary by suggesting that Cristiano Ronaldo had fallen short of his own high standards this year. Well scratch that because he now has an eight-minute hat-trick. His latest owes a debt to Granada keeper Oier, whose hands should push away the Portuguese's 20-yard shot but instead are weak and enable it to find the top corner of the goal. Real have equalled the score they beat Granada by ealier in the season. You suspect they are not done yet.

In the next minute Andy. Marcelo's cross from the left is palmed into the air by Granada keeper Oier but only as far as Ronaldo, who is on it in a flash to slam it into the net. Benzema fancied it himself but he simply wasn't as quick as the Portuguese. Damage limitation time for Granada.

Andy West
European football writer

"It feels almost obligatory to note that Ronaldo is now joint top La Liga scorer with Messi. He'll probably overtake him in the next hour."

Real could record a rugby score here. They pour forward again after Gareth Bale shows some neat skill to turn his marker, but the Welsh forward's cross is behind his team-mates and cleared by Granada. Soon after, a chipped ball forward from Sergio Ramos just skips away from Benzema at the back post.

Image source, AFP

This game is over already. To be honest, any one of Benzema, James or Ronaldo could have scored this second goal during a concerted period of Real pressure, that included two corners. In the end it is the latter who scores it, receiving a pass from James before firing a low shot past Oier and into the far corner of the net.

Image source, AFP

It has been coming. Gareth Bale silences his doubters by muscling in to beat a defender to a ball towards the edge of the box before rounding the keeper and slotting in to the unguarded net. That is his 17th goal of the season and it could well open the floodgates here.