Schalke 1 Bayern Munich 3: Martinez, Muller secure the points

Javi Martinez’s first Bundesliga goal since May 2013 helped Bayern Munich to beat Schalke 3-1 at the Veltins Arena on Saturday, extending their lead at the top of the table to eight points.

Bayern’s start looked ominous from Schalke’s perspective, as David Alaba’s deflected effort gave the away side the lead after just nine minutes.

The visitors’ opportunity to make the most of Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 defeat in Hamburg on Friday was at risk when Max Meyer equalised, but Martinez nodded home with 21 minutes to go to restore Bayern’s lead. 

Thomas Muller then made it three in injury time as Schalke were consigned to only their second home loss of the season.

Schalke offered little resistance to Bayern initially and, although there was more than a hint of luck about the opener, it came as little surprise to see the champions take only nine minutes to pounce.

The home side failed to fully clear a Bayern corner and Alaba produced a fierce 25-yard drive which struck Leon Goretzka and looped into the top-right corner.

Schalke gradually settled into proceedings and equalised eight minutes later.

Guardiola had highlighted the danger posed by Leroy Sane before the match and the 19-year-old duly showed why, bursting into the Bayern half before finding Meyer, who coolly cut inside Philipp Lahm and beat Neuer from 20 yards, though the goalkeeper should have done better.

Bayern remained dominant, though, forcing Schalke to play on the counterattack through Sane and Meyer. Goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann kept the hosts on level terms just before the half-hour mark, palming away Robert Lewandowski’s 20-yard curler.

The match continued with a similar pattern at the start of the second period and Schalke crafted an early opportunity on the break, but Sane sliced a half-volley wide following Dennis Aogo’s surge and cross from the left.

Bayern continued to probe at the other end and were only let down by their finishing, as Lewandowski headed over from Arjen Robben’s free-kick in the 59th minute.

Schalke’s resistance failed ten minutes later, as Martinez rose to meet Robben’s pinpoint cross and the Spaniard had no trouble heading in from eight yards.

Schalke almost rallied for a second time with just two minutes to go, as Eric Choupo-Moting latched on to a headed flick-on and prodded agonisingly wide from 12 yards. 

Lewandowski was inches away from adding third with the clock ticking down, before Muller capped off the scoring by beating Fahrmann with a left-footed shot across the goalkeeper and into the bottom far corner of the net.