Bayer Leverkusen have been held to a goalless draw at dwelling to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday as their lead over injury-hit Bayern Munich on the high of the Bundesliga was minimize to 2 factors. Xabi Alonso‘s facet had began the day 4 factors clear however after Bayern’s 3-2 victory over Augsburg earlier within the afternoon, the strain was on Leverkusen, the one unbeaten crew in Germany’s top-flight. The hosts dominated with 75% of the ball however could not make the breakthrough.

The sport’s greatest probabilities fell to Jeremie Frimpong, however the Dutchman was wasteful as Leverkusen struggled with out their injured talisman Victor Boniface, whose 10 targets in 16 league video games have spearheaded Leverkusen’s title cost.

“Gladbach were very compact. They had great morale and energy today,” Leverkusen coach Alonso informed Sky Sport Germany.

“We had the feeling that we could score but we didn’t. We have to accept the point.”

Leverkusen will host Bayern in a crunch conflict on February 10.

Alonso, who has led the membership right into a title race they hadn’t anticipated at the beginning of the season, has been strongly linked with changing Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool coach, following the German’s shock choice to depart on the finish of the season.

Alonso, a Champions League winner as a participant with Liverpool in 2005, was requested once more about Klopp’s choice forward of Saturday’s sport.

“It’s a shock and a pity. But I’m concentrating on my team, I’m happy to be here,” he stated.

Bayern Munich had closed the hole on Alonso’s facet after Augsburg had endured hit or miss late penalty drama.

Bayern had come into the sport having obtained again on observe in midweek with a 1-0 win over Union Berlin after a shock 1-0 dwelling defeat by Werder Bremen final weekend.

With Dayot Upamecano limping off with a hamstring drawback in opposition to Union, and becoming a member of Bayern’s rising harm checklist, Eric Dier made his first begin as Alphonso Davies additionally returned to the beginning line-up after being dropped in midweek.

But it was one other participant drafted into Thomas Tuchel’s beginning XI who obtained issues rolling for Bayern.

Making simply his fourth begin within the league, 19-year-old German midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic, deputising for the injured Joshua Kimmich, steered the ball in from shut vary after 23 minutes when Augsburg didn’t clear a nook.

Coman in ‘excessive ache’ 

Davies let fly from distance deep into first half stoppage time to provide Bayern a two-goal cushion.

Ermedin Demirovic’s glancing header early within the second half lifted the temper of the house followers, till Harry Kane tapped in Leon Goretzka‘s cross simply earlier than the hour mark to provide Bayern respiration area.

A careless foul by Manuel Neuer noticed Augsburg awarded an 88th minute penalty, however the Bayern goalkeeper atoned with a wonderful save from Sven Michel’s spot-kick.

Augsburg gained one other penalty, in stoppage time, after a visit by substitute Thomas Mueller.

This time Neuer might do nothing about Demirovic’s highly effective penalty, nevertheless it was too little too late for Augsburg.

Goretzka praised Bayern’s means to win in opposition to a tough opponent given the makeshift look to the crew.

“Today we fielded a back four that has never played together before,” Goretzka stated.

“We knew what to expect here and that Augsburg play quite unattractive football. The pitch wasn’t good, of course. We were aware of these things but accepted them, so it was a valuable win.”

Bayern flip up the warmth on Leverkusen however yet one more harm, this time to French winger Kingsley Coman, soured this priceless victory for Tuchel.

“It’s a difficult injury,” Tuchel informed Sky. “He was in a lot of pain and had no chance to continue. The medical team will assess his injury tomorrow. We can’t speculate but he’s in extreme pain.”

In one other key sport on the high, Deniz Undav scored a hat-trick as Stuttgart thrashed RB Leipzig 5-2 to maintain alive their hopes of Champions League qualification.

Borussia Dortmund could have the possibility to leapfrog Leipzig and enter the highest 4 with victory over Bochum on Sunday.

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