Bayern Munich responded to Borussia Dortmund's 5-1 win over Hannover on Saturday by beating VfB Stuttgart 4-1 and returning to within six points of the league leaders on Sunday, on the day Alphonso Davies made his Bundesliga debut.

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Bayern 4-1 Stuttgart
Goals: 1-0 Thiago Alcantara (5'), 1-1 Donis (26'), 2-1 Gentner (o.g. 55'), 3-1 Goretzka (71'), 4-1 Lewandowski (85')

Thiago Alcantara gave Bayern a flying start, threading the needle with his shot evading three Stuttgart defenders on its way inside the left-hand post in the fifth minute. Joshua Kimmich flashed another shot wide as the hosts sought to turn the screw, but Stuttgart – even without former Bayern forward Mario Gomez – were not intent only on defending, as an acrobatic Nicolas Gonzalez effort confirmed. Indeed, Stuttgart levelled with a fine strike from Anastasios Donis, who placed the ball like a postage stamp in the top right-hand corner of Manuel Neuer's goal. Ron-Robert Zieler denied Thiago a second, with Neuer doing the same from Donis at point-blank range as chances fell at both ends of the field in an entertaining first half.

The chances continued to rain down in the second half with Bayern slowly gaining the upper hand once again, and taking the lead through Serge Gnabry's effort, which was turned into his own goal by Christian Gentner. An uncharacteristically quiet Robert Lewandowski emitted a sign of life with a powerful drive over, but Bayern's lead looked slender again when Gonzalez hit the post. Lewandowski might have given them a two-goal cushion from the penalty spot, but he struck the right-hand post from 12 yards. Leon Goretzka did then give Bayern a bit of breathing space when he headed in a Kimmich corner before Lewandowski made sure of victory after rounding Zieler. There was time for Canadian prospect Alphonso Davies to make his Bayern debut on an all-round satisfying afternoon for the Bavarians, and another disappointing one for Stuttgart.

Bayern Munich celebrated a 4-1 win over Stuttgart which took them back to within six points of league leaders Borussia Dortmund. - 2019 Getty Images

Match stats

• Donis' third goal of the season took him one better than the whole of last season; his only two goals away from home have come in the Allianz Arena – his other coming on the final day of last season.
• Gentner scored Stuttgart's fourth own goal this season – more than any other club in the Bundesliga.
• Lewandowski's penalty miss was only his third in 24 attempts, and his second in 18 for Bayern.
• Goretzka has scored more than anybody else in the Bundesliga in 2019, with his third goal taking him to five for the season – equalling his best-ever season (for Schalke in 2016/17).
• Ozan Kabak, 18, became the fifth Turkish player to appear for Stuttgart after making his debut.
• With just 14 points and a negative goal difference of 27, Stuttgart have their worst record ever for this stage of the season.

Line-ups

Bayern: Neuer (c) – Kimmich, Süle, Hummels, Alaba – Thiago, Martinez (Gnabry 46')– Müller (James 75'), Goretzka, Coman (Davies 86') - Lewandowski
Unused subs: Ulreich, Rafinha, Boateng, Sanches
Out: Ribery, Robben (thigh), Tolisso (knee)
Coach: Niko Kovac

Stuttgart: Zieler – Beck, Kabak, Kempf, Insua – Esswein (Sosa 89'), Gentner (c), Ascacibar, Zuber (Didavi 87') – Donis (Thommy 74'), Gonzalez
Unused subs: Grahl, Aogo, Castro, Gomez
Out: Pavard (thigh), Meyer (knee), Badstuber (muscular), Baumgartl (dizziness), Maffeo (training deficit)
Coach: Markus Weinzierl

Watch: Donis: "I'll remember my goal for the rest of my life"

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