Robert Lewandowski on target again as Bayern Munich claim big win at RB Leipzig

Bayern Munich went second in the Bundesliga as they put on a finishing masterclass to overcome Red Bull Leipzig 4-1 at the RB Arena.

Goals from Robert Lewandowski, Jamal Musiala, Leroy Sane and Eric Choupo-Moting were enough to dispatch their hosts, with a screamer from Konrad Laimer giving Die Roten Bullen some sort of consolation, spoiling Dayot Upamecano and Julian Nagelsmann's clean sheet on their return to their old stomping ground.

In a game fuelled by a fast tempo and dynamic pressing from both sides, VAR was also used to controversially disallow an Andre Silva goal at 2-0 - a strike that would have halved the Leipzig deficit and given them a foothold back into what had not really been a tight encounter up to that point.

Tactically, both sides matched each other up in 4-2-3-1 shapes and the attacking midfield trident for the home side - Domink Szoboszlai, Christopher Nkunku and Dani Olmo - looked lively and did their best to ruffle Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich's feathers in the engine room.

The opening goal, on 12 minutes, stemmed from a VAR-detected deliberate handball from Kevin Kampl, with Lewandowski stepping up to the plate yet again to net in the Bundesliga.

Musiala finished an excellent build-up move crafted down the left between Alphonso Davies and Lewandowski, before he fired across Peter Gulacsi to double Bayern's cushion.

The youngster turned provider for the third; his clipped cross turned home by Leroy Sane, but that strike would be nullified by Laimer's thunderbolt that ultimately came from nothing.

Substitute Choupo-Moting rifled home a fourth late on to truly kill off any sort of charge from the home side, and he showed why he shouldn't be underestimated as a key squad player in Bavaria.

Leipzig energetically pressed on. trying to wear down a clearly fatigued Bayern, but the champions held firm to go within two points of top spot in the table.

It was a valiant effort from the home side, it must be said.

They sought to press their visitors high up the pitch, looking to seize upon mistakes, but they underestimated the size of that particular task. Bayern were able to pop the ball through and around the hosts like a hot knife through butter, with Thomas Muller running the show - ghosting into dangerous pockets of space most defenders are too afraid to go anywhere near.

Kevin Kampl was sloppy in possession and was the guilty party regarding the penalty, but he improved with most of his team-mates as they did everything they could to get back into the game.

It would come to nothing though for Jesse Marsch's men, as Bayern were just too strong for them: Dayot Upamecano was immense on his return to the RB Arena, and Robert Lewandowski's link-up play was exemplary as Mo Simakan and Willi Orban struggled to contain him.

An all-round complete performance from the champions, but there should be nothing too embarrassing about the performance from Leipzig: as mentioned before, Szoboszlai, Nkunku and Olmo were lively throughout, and Olmo was unlucky not to score; denied by a fantastic, acrobatic save from Manuel Neuer between the visiting sticks.

A star in the making, this boy.

Coming on for the injured Serge Gnabry just before the interval, the German gem would score with only his third touch of the game just after the oranges, lashing home past Gulasci to make it 2-0.

Gnabry was good, don't get me wrong - but Musiala was as silky as anyone out there. His tricky dribbling had Angelino scrambling, as he won free kick after free kick down the right flank. He would create the chance for the third for Sane to tuck home as well.

It was a tremendous display off the bench from the young man, who changed the whole feel of the game as soon as his effort hit the back of the net.

Leipzig: Gulasci 6, Mukiele 6, Simakan 6, Orban 6, Angelino 6, Kampl 4, Laimer 6, Olmo 7, Nkunku 7, Szoboszlai 7, Silva 6. Subs: Gvardiol 6, Forsberg 6, Poulsen 6, Haidara 6, Klostermann 6.

Bayern: Neuer 6, Pavard 6, Upamecano 8. Hernandez 6, Davies 7, Goretzka 6, Kimmich 6, Sane 7, Muller 7, Gnabry 6, Lewandowski 7. Subs: Musiala 9, Sabitzer 6, C-Moting 7, Sule 6, Stanisic 6.

12': GOAL!!! Leipzig 0-1 Bayern (Lewandowski): Robert Lewandowski. Already. No doubt. 1-0 Bayern. As you were.

32': WHAT A CHALLENGE! Sane fed Lewandowski, who drove the ball across the box towards Gnabry, and it seemed as though the winger would have a tap-in, but Simakan did brilliantly to divert the danger away from goal.

47': GOAL!!! Leipzig 0-1 Bayern (Musiala): That's game over, surely. Jamal Musiala, with his first two touches! Too fast, too accurate. Bayern kill Leipzig off. Lewandowski, overlap from Davies, fired into Musiala, the readjustment of the feet, and he fires it across Gulasci. 2-0.

51': NO GOAL! Silva slides home after the defensive error! A lovely ball through from Olmo, and the Portuguese finishes with aplomb. It's being checked by VAR for the offside... the ref blows in favour of Bayern.

54': GOALLL!!! Leipzig 0-1 Bayern (Sane): There's three! Musiala turns provider; Sane taps home. 3-0.

58': GOALLLL!!! Leipzig 0-1 Bayern (Laimer): WOW!!! What a goal from Konrad Laimer! An absolute screamer out of nothing from range, and Manny Neuer could do nothing about it! Leipzig back in it?

90': GOAL!!! Leipzig 0-1 Bayern (Choupo-Moting): Choupo-Moting gets in on the act! He managed to steady himself, stay on his feet, and fire home wonderfully.