Considering their lowly 19th position in the table, and coupled with the seven changes made to their starting XI, Levante started the game on the front foot and had Villarreal chasing shadows during the opening 15 minutes.
Nevertheless, Diego Pampin's solitary half-chance for the hosts evidenced a lack of goalmouth action, with neither side able to exert any sustained pressure.
Pape Gueye and Alberto Moleiro looked to force the issue for the visitors, but Levante’s low-block, five-man defence stifled the Yellow Submarine’s attacking efforts.
Indeed, it wasn’t until the 28th minute that Pau Navarro fired off Villarreal’s first attempt at goal, which went harmlessly wide, though Moleiro did hit the post with a header just a minute later.
Ayoze Perez’s attempt on the run then gave the visitors a first shot on target just before half-time in a match being played in near silence at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia given the dearth of excitement on show.
Gueye let fly from distance just after the break, before Luiz Junior flew to his right to stop Paco Cortes’ superb effort at the other end.
Levante increased their intensity as the decibel levels in the stands rose accordingly, but that sparked Villarreal into life and, as home goalkeeper Mathew Ryan went walkabout, Georges Mikautadze slammed home the opener.
Subsequently, the home side went all out for an equaliser and had a late penalty appeal waved away after Karl Etta Eyong went down.
Villarreal should then have put the game to bed but Mikautadze, with the goal gaping, saw his shot cleared off the line by Adrian de la Fuente.
Ultimately, Levante were unable to level find an equaliser and therefore remain in real trouble at the wrong of LaLiga, where they are seven points adrift of safety - with a trip to title challengers Barcelona up next, things do not get any easier.
Villarreal, meanwhile, are seven points above fifth-placed Real Betis, bouncing back quickly from their weekend defeat to Getafe to stay in a strong position in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Pape Gueye (Villarreal)
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