Lewandowski hits hat-trick as Bayern thrash Stuttgart

Bayern Munich 4-0 VfB Stuttgart
Goals: 1-0 Lewandowski (18'), 2-0 Gnabry (22'), 3-0 Lewandowski (23'), 4-0 Lewandowski (39')
Red card: Davies (12')

There was a whiff of an upset when Davies's studs-up challenge on Wataru Endo was upgraded from a yellow to a red card on VAR review - but Bayern tore up the script. After Stuttgart failed to fully clear their lines from a corner, Serge Gnabry fired a cross into the six-yard box, where Lewandowski stole in ahead of two white shirts to kick off the procession. Gnabry added a second following a wonderful bit of interplay between Thomas Müller and Leroy Sane, before Lewandowski met Müller's inviting cross with a towering header for 3-0. The epitome of clinical, Bayern made it four goals from as many efforts on target when Sane's pass for Leon Goretzka broke free for Lewandowski to sweep past Gregor Kobel to complete a perfect hat-trick late in the half.

Bayern's in-house DJ was in a party mood as The Champs' 1958 hit 'Tequila' blared out around the Allianz Arena at the break. Stuttgart substitute Nicolas Gonzalez took it upon himself to provide a shot of inspiration, but Sasa Kalajdzic failed to seriously trouble Manuel Neuer with a header from the Argentine's pin-point cross. VfB tried a similar route soon after as Arsenal-owned Konstantinos Mavropanos popped up at the back post, only to loop a header into the arms of Bayern's gloved captain. Ex-Stuttgart man Benjamin Pavard put a fourth goal on a plate for Lewandowski, but the Pole sent his first-time effort off target from 12 yards. Sane, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Goretzka went close as Bayern eased over the finish line, their lead at the summit restored to four points ahead of their trip to second-placed RB Leipzig on 3 April.

• Lewandowski has broken his own record for most single season-goals by a non-German national (35). He is now outright second in the all-time scoring charts on 271 Bundesliga goals, behind Gerd Müller (365).
• Only the legendary Müller has scored more Bundesliga goals for a single club than Lewandowski (197).
• Gnabry scored for the first time in five attempts against boyhood club Stuttgart.
• Müller brought up his league-leading 14th assist of the campaign.
• Davies has been sent off twice in his 52 Bundesliga appearances.
• Stuttgart enjoyed more possession than any other team this season has managed in games against Bayern (56 percent).

Watch: Lewandowski: "I don't want to put pressure on myself"

Bayern: Neuer (c) - Pavard, Boateng, Süle, Davies - Goretzka, Alaba - Sane (Musiala 83'), Müller (Martinez 83'), Gnabry (Coman 60') - Lewandowski (Choupo-Moting 70')
Unused subs: Nübel, Sarr, Hernandez, Roca, Dantas
Out: Costa (metatarsal), Kimmich (cold), Hoffmann (knee), Nianzou (thigh), Tolisso (thigh)
Coach: Hansi Flick

Stuttgart: Kobel - Mavropanos, Anton, Kempf - Silas (Klimowicz 35'), Endo (Karazor 77'), Castro (c) (Didavi 76'), Sosa (Gonzalez 46') - Ahamada (Förster 46'), Coulibaly - Kalajdzic
Unused subs: Bredlow, Stenzel, Klement, Massimo
Out: Al Ghaddioui (ankle), Egloff (ankle), Mangala (muscular), Mola (hip)
Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo