Leaders Bayern thump Hoffenheim to go four points clear at top

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich scored three times in 19 minutes in the first half to crush Hoffenheim 5-0 on Wednesday and restore their four-point advantage at the top of the standings.

The Bavarians did not need long to open their account with Leroy Sane drilling in for the lead from a Thomas Mueller assist in the seventh minute.

Raphael Guerreiro doubled it after a one-two with Harry Kane five minutes later and they killed off the game with a 26th minute penalty by the league's top scorer, Kane, who bagged his 16th goal in the competition.

The England captain has now converted all 12 of the penalties he has taken in his Bundesliga career, the league's third best record.

The Bavarians picked up where they left off after the break with Sane scoring the second goal of the match three minutes after the restart before substitute Serge Gnabry tapped in their fifth in the 66th.

Hoffenheim were nowhere to be seen for 70 minutes with no single effort on target before Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer pulled off a stunning save to deny Finn Becker.

Despite cold and snowy conditions the hosts kept up the pressure and had more than half a dozen clear chances to add to their tally.

Vincent Kompany's team is on 42 points, four ahead of champions Bayer Leverkusen, who beat Mainz 05 1-0 on Tuesday.

Bayern next host VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday before travelling to Feyenoord in a week for the Champions League.

Hoffenheim, who have won none of their last six league games and have now lost three on the trot, are 16th, in the relegation playoff spot.