Bayern Munich batter Gladbach to show gulf in class

Bayern Munich 5-1 Gladbach
(Wagner 37', 41', Thiago 52', Alaba 67', Lewandowski 82' — Drmic 8')
Allianz Arena, Munich

After a slow opening ten minutes, Bayern Munich unleashed the full force of their abilities to dispatch of Gladbach and stretch their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table to 23 points (Schalke play Sunday).

Josip Drmic latched onto a long ball, tucked inside Niklas Süle before curling into the far corner to the surprise of the home ground.

As in many Bundesliga games before, though, Bayern dealt with the setback, created pressure and eventually equalized. Sandro Wagner tucked in from close range after a low cross from Thomas Müller. Just four minutes later, Wagner sent a powerful header towards goal that squirmed under the dive of Yann Sommer.

After the break, things got worse for a Gladbach side that never really recovered from Wagner's quick-fire double. Thiago put in a rebound after Sommer denied Wagner his hat trick. David Alaba then scored his first ever goal with his right foot — a 107 kilometers per hour (66 miles per hour) screamer from the left-hand side of the box.

To rub salt in Gladbach's wounds, Robert Lewandowski came on for the final 20 minutes and got on the scoresheet when he tucked in neatly after controlling a floated Joshua Kimmich cross.

Bayern finished the game with a remarkable 93.9 percent pass completion rate and sealed their biggest win against Gladbach since 1986.

As it happened:

RESULT — Bayern Munich 5-1 Gladbach

87' — Bayern drag the ball around the edge of the box, Kimmich dinks it back post but no one is there. Could have been six.

82' — GOAL! 5-1 Bayern Munich (Lewandowski) Kimmich drifts into the box and has enough to space to float one towards Lewandowski at the back post. Gladbach miss two headers along the way, but the Pole doesn't mind. He controls it and slots it into the far corner. Fünf is the German word for five. It's also the number of goals Bayern have scored today. 

80' — Christoph Kramer, the man who can't remember the 2014 World Cup final despite having played in it, is booked for a late clip on Tolisso. The Frenchman had just nutmegged him before that. Frustrating day for him and his team. At least they seem to have stemmed the tide...

73' — Alaba comes off to a standing ovation, Rafinha comes on (who takes the captain's armband). "How many more will they score?" That could be the chant going around the stadium. It isn't, but you get the point.

69' — Two goals in the bag and his job done, Wagner comes off so that Lewandowski can get 20 minutes to stay sharp. Bayern have played this season perfectly, so far.

67' — GOAL! 4-1 Bayern Munich (Alaba) He doesn't have to, because David Alaba cuts in from the left to fire an effort into the far corner with his right foot. What can't this team do? Gladbach well and truly hammered here.

66' — How well is James playing at the moment? It's up there with career best form. Conducting games with all the deftness and power of a Hans Zimmer soundtrack. Sure he'll enjoy facing Real Madrid in the semifinals when they come around. Probably wouldn't mind scoring a goal tonight here either...

64' — Spare a moment for Josip Drmic, who seems to score goals that are often forgotten. Gladbach are in danger of their season being forgotten at this rate. Another defeat here today (barring a miracle final half an hour) has them six points off a Europa League spot. Big loss for the club not to make Europe.

58' — Oscar Wendt throws himself in front of a shot from Tolisso. It's that kind of game for the visitors now. They have to work in some control, just to slow the tempo down a bit.

53' — CHANCE! James meets a low cross from Alaba first time but his effort smashes off the post. Wake up Gladbach!

52' — GOAL! Bayern Munich (Thiago) James slips in Tolisso out wide, he crosses low for Wagner and that's the... No! Sommer makes a great reflex save to deny the striker, but Thiago gobbles up the rebound. Contest over. Gladbach's chance of changing the script just got all the more difficult.

51' — Juan Bernat gets into the box but does one too many stepovers. You might say, "Juan" too many... Sorry. I couldn't help it.

49' — Rudy lets fly from range and it keeps low, swerving goalwards but Sommer stops it. Would have been some goal...

46' — Bayern get us underway. James is on for Müller.

HALFTIME — Bayern Munich 2-1 Gladbach

Bayern Munich recover after a poor first 10 minutes to lead at the break thanks to a quick brace from Sandro Wagner. Other than a new goalscorer, this is a very familiar tale in Munich so far. Gladbach will have to change the script in the second half if they want anything from this one.

Don't forget, other than our live updates here you can also follow the action and get involved in the debate on Twitter, @DW_Sports. We'd love to hear from you!

45' — CHANCE! Alaba curls a central free kick goalwards, but Sommer dives and holds on. Three before the half would have been tough on Gladbach (but it has been done before).

41' — GOAL! 2-1 Bayern Munich (Wagner) Sandro Wagner does really well to get enough power to a high ball, but Sommer should palm it wide. Instead, it squirms underneath his arms and Bayern lead. As you were Bundesliga.

41' — Bayern lining up for the second! Joshua Kimmich misses it but the attack stays alive and...

37' — GOAL! 1-1 Bayern Munich (Wagner) Is this the most predictable equalizer in the history of the Bundesliga? Perhaps not, given that we have seen Bayern do this many times before. Süle with a pass through the Gladbach defense to Müller, who is in on the right-hand side of the box. He slides to square it to Sandro Wagner who just has to tap in. Fast and all rather nice to watch really. All square.

35' — Hummels and Süle passing to one another well into Gladbach's half. A story of the pressure that is building. Gladbach are sitting deep to absorb it, but for how long? Again, this all feels rather familiar, doesn't it?

33' — Turned into an odd game. Bayern are in control, but other than Müller's chance earlier haven't come closer to scoring. Corentin Tolisso has a go, but it's palmed away. Sommer then claims another swinging cross from the left.

27' — Sebastian Rudy could do with a good game. He hasn't had one in a while. He swings in a corner. Mats Hummels nearly gets to it, but gets headed by Matthias Ginter's head. Pain for both. Ouch.

21' — Bayern creeping into the game now (sound familiar?). Müller gets to a David Alaba corner, but Yann Sommer gathers easily.

16' — CHANCE! A delicious dink in behind the Gladbach defense from Thiago sets up Thomas Müller, but his volley goes just wide of the far post. In his form, you'd back him to score those.

13' — Well that's rattled Bayern. Of course, many will be thinking why now, when the title is already won for a sixth time? A valid question, but it is nevertheless a deserved lead for the visitors. Bayern enjoying more of the ball now, but can't do anything with it (yet).

8' — GOAL! 1-0 Gladbach (Drmic) Just as I was about to write that Bayern were dealing relatively well with the visitors, and then goal! And fittingly it's Josip Drmic (see pre-match updates below). A long ball forward ends with Drmic in the box. The striker cuts inside Niklas Süle before curling into the far corner. What finish! What a start!

6' — Quite a bit of possession for the visitors early on here. Raffael is dropping deep to pick up the ball, which is working well but then there isn't much to work with up top.

4' — Gladbach get in behind Bayern's defense a couple of times early on, but are offside on both occasions. That better not be the story of the day...

1' — We are underway!

-- Teams are in, and unsurprisingly Jerome Boateng and Robert Lewandowski get a rest. The line-up is still strong, though. As for Gladbach, that might be their best eleven (Lars Stindl the obvious absentee). Josip Drmic could do with a goal for his confidence though.

Bayern Munich: Ulreich - Kimmich, Süle, Hummels, Alaba - Rudy, Tolisso - Müller, Thiago, Bernat - Wagner

Gladbach: Sommer - Elvedi, Ginter, Vestergaard, Wendt - Hazard, Kramer, Zakaria, Hofmann - Raffael, Drmic

-- Good evening! Yes, Bayern Munich might have won the league last weekend but they've got form to carry if they're going to make a run at the coveted European trophy. At home against Gladbach, one of the Bundesliga's most historic fixtures, should provide a chance to see how good some of Bayern's best are at this stage of the season.

Don't forget, other than our live updates here you can also follow the action and get involved in the debate on Twitter, @DW_Sports. We'd love to hear from you!