On-song Reds down Bremen

FC Bayern beat Werder Bremen 3-1 on Saturday afternoon. Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry handed FCB a two-goal lead before half-time, Robert Lewandowski putting the game to bed midway through the second half. Niclas Füllkrug pulled one back for Werder in the closing stages but Bayern sealed a more than deserved victory, the more so as Lewandowski saw no fewer than three efforts denied by the woodwork in the second half.

The German record champions started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Benjamin Pavard, Jérôme Boateng, Lucas Hernández and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Goretzka anchored a midfield featuring Kingsley Coman, Thomas Müller and Gnabry, with target man Lewandowski up front.

Leon and Serge on target

The two sides felt each other out for the first quarter-hour, Ludwig Augustinsson testing Neuer and Gnabry firing over the bar at the other end, but Bayern soon asserted their dominance. A Davies cross only just evaded Gnabry, Kimmich miscuing from the edge of the box, but Bayern drew first blood when Müller flicked on a Kimmich corner, Goretzka nodding home.

Hansi Flick's men were buoyed by the goal, Müller and Gnabry miscuing their finishes before the latter hit the post, but Müller shone when he chested down the ball in the box, his brilliantly perceptive pass inviting Gnabry to slot in.

Lewy settles it

After a slow start to the second half, Munich upped the pressure again, a Lewandowski header crashing off the post. The world's best player soon saw an effort parried and hit the bar on the rebound. Lewandowski saw yet another effort saved but got his goal when he made the most of a mix-up in box, slotting home from close range and drawing level with Klaus Fischer in the Bundesliga's all-time scorer rankings.

The Poland captain hit the woodwork for the third time when he fired against the post from a tight angle. Flick shuffled his deck now, Marc Roca, Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting, Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sané coming on for Kimmich, Lewandowski, Gnabry and Coman before Bouna Sarr replaced Davies. Bremen pulled one back on the break when Neuer denied Rashica, Füllkrug converting the rebound, but the consolation goal was little more than a footnote to Bayern's deserved victory.

The result means FCB have 58 points from 25 matches, five clear of Leipzig, who take on Frankfurt on Sunday. The Bavarians will be back in action on Wednesday, when they entertain Lazio in the Champions League last sixteen return leg.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen