Mainz 1-3 Bayern: Lewandowski, Muller, Thiago strike for in-form champion

Bayern Munich is flying high ahead of its meeting with RB Leipzig next week, with Thiago Alcantara impressing in a key win over Mainz.

Thiago Alcantara celebrates his goal during Bayern Munich's 3-1 win over Mainz.

A fine goal from Thiago Alcantara was the highlight as Bayern Munich cruised to a 3-1 victory away to Mainz, its sixth straight Bundesliga triumph. Bayern goes two points clear at the top ahead of RB Leipzig, which has a chance to return to the summit when it plays Borussia Monchengladbach later on Saturday.

The visitor was three up inside 26 minutes at Opel Arena, with Robert Lewandowski's 22nd top-flight goal of the campaign setting it on its way. For the third straight game, both Thomas Muller and Thiago scored, as Jeremiah St. Juste's first-half header proved to be no more than a consolation.

Having reached 58 goals in their first 20 matches, a club record, Hansi Flick's side has huge momentum going into a massive clash against Leipzig next week. Mainz, meanwhile, has lost six of their last seven league matches and sits just three points off the bottom.

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It has conceded six times in its last two meetings with Bayern and it only took eight minutes for the German champion to move in front, Lewandowski sending a thumping header past goalkeeper Robin Zentner from eight yards after Benjamin Pavard picked him out with a pinpoint cross from the right.

It was two just six minutes later, as Lewandowski ran in on goal and collided with Zentner, prompting Leon Goretzka to gather the loose ball and square for Muller to convert with a simple finish. A clever Leandro Barreiro effort struck the post at the other end and Mainz was left to rue that near miss after 26 minutes, when Thiago took a pass from Alphonso Davies 25 yards and embarked on a weaving run past Pierre Kunde, St. Juste and Barreiro, before firing in with a left-footed finish.

St. Juste got one back in the last minute of the first half, heading in Daniel Brosinski's corner via a heavy deflection off Goretzka. A quiet second period almost had a tense finale only for Thiago to make a decisive challenge as Mainz substitute Adam Szalai bore down on goal, while Lewandowski screwed wide from a late chance to make it four.

What does it mean? Bayern flying ahead of top-of-the-table clash A key contest against Leipzig awaits next week, where depending on its rival's result against Gladbach it will either go in top or just one point behind. With six straight wins, in which it has scored 23 times, Bayern is in great shape. Lethal Lewandowski not slowing down Lewandowski's impressive early header set the tone and he also created four chances for his team-mates. The clinical 31-year-old frontman has already matched his league goals tally for the whole of last season, though he should have added a late second. Mainz lacking creativity Jean-Philippe Mateta did not have his finest outing, substituted after 74 minutes having not had a shot or created a single chance for Mainz. But he did not have much help, with the trio behind him - Robin Quaison Jean-Paul Boetius and Levin Oztunali – not producing a single key pass between them. What's next? In-form Bayern hosts Hoffenheim in the DFB-Pokal on Wednesday, while Mainz is away to Hertha Berlin next Saturday.