Robert Lewandowski brace helps Bayern Munich pull clear of Borussia Dortmund at top of table

Robert Lewandowski scored twice as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund for the sixth successive Klassiker but needed a fortunate VAR call to win at the Signal Iduna Arena.

With the score locked at two-apiece, the referee was called to look at an incident from a corner where Mats Hummels, under pressure and half sighted, misjudged a header and the ball touched his arm. Lewandowski then stuttered on his penalty run-up and just managed to squeeze his kick home via Gregor Kobel's fingertips.

Dortmund took the lead early on when Jude Bellingham found Julian Brandt in the box and he turned outside Alphonso Davies before smashing home.

The scores were level when Thomas Muller dispossessed Dortmund in midfield, chased after and won a header against Hummels to set up Lewandoski who made no mistake.

On the stroke of half time, Bayern were in front when Kingsley Coman's effort deflected off Marco Reus en route to goal, before a curling Erling Haaland effort restored parity three minutes after the break, before the spot kick drama gave the Bundesliga leaders victory.

Since the 1970s when Bayern won domestic titles at the expense of people's club Borussia Monchengladbach, the Munich side have been rewarded for their receiving a beer festival steiner full of luck. In the 1980s it was Werder Bremen on the wrong end of this, Bayer 'Neverkusen' at the turn of the century and in recent years Dortmund. The penalty award would have been easier to stomach if VAR had also asked the referee to look on whether Reus had been pushed over by Lucas Hernandezearlier in the second half. On the surface, it looked a far clearer penalty than the Hummels award.

After muscular injuries have hindered him for the last five years, Coman at 25, finally looks like becoming the player he threatened to become as a teenager. He was a consistent menace to Dortmund throughout the 90 minutes and with a bit more luck could have scored more than one tonight. On the right flank he also terrorised Guerreiro for much of the night. There are not many orthodox wingers left around today which makes watching him befuddle a full back even more enjoyable.

Borussia Dortmund: Kobel 7; Meunier 6, Akanji 6, Hummels 6, Guerreiro 6; Can 6, Bellingham 7, Dahoud 6; Brandt 7, Haaland 7, Reus 7.

Subs: Malen 6, Schulz 6, Wolf 5, Tigges 6.

Bayern Munich: Neuer 7; Pavard 7, Upamecano 5, Hernandez 6, Davies 6; Tolisso 6, Goretzka 6; Coman 8*, Muller 7, Sane 7; Lewandowski 8.

Subs: Musiala 6, Gnabry 6, Sule 6, Nianzou 6.

5' GOAL FOR DORTMUND! Brandt scores with aplomb after turning outside Davies. What a great start.

9' GOAL FOR BAYERN! Muller blocks a pass in midfield and then beat Hummels to a header to find Lewandowski on the edge of the box and of course he slots home.

45' GOAL FOR BAYERN! A little pinball in the Dortmund penalty area sees the ball land at Coman's feet and his shot is deflected off Reus and slams off the turf and bounces over Kobel and Guerreiro on the line into the roof of the net.

48' GOAL FOR DORTMUND! A lovely curling finish from Haaland. Bellingham drew Upamecano and then slipped the ball to Haaland, in the left hand side of the penalty area, who gave Neuer no chance.

76' PENALTY GIVEN! Dortmund were denied a penalty that should have been given at one end and at the other Bayern get a fortunate one.

77' GOAL FOR BAYERN! Lewandowski stutters then passes the ball into the side-netting though the keeper got his fingertips to the ball.