Robert Lewandowski bags a brace as Bayern Munich rout Cologne in Bundesliga

Prolific Pole and Gnabry both score two in 5-1 battering at the Allianz Arena

Robert Lewandowski scores Bayern Munich's third goal in their 5-1 Bundesliga win over Cologne at the Allianz Arena on February 27. Getty

Bayern Munich's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting celebrates scoring their first goal. Reuters

Bayern's Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scores the opener. AFP

Bayern's Robert Lewandowski heads for goal. AFP

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski Leon Goretzka celebrate a goal. AFP

Bayern's Leroy Sane. Getty

Serge Gnabry scores Bayern's fifth. AP

Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski now has 28 Bundesliga goals this season. Reuters

Serge Gnabry scores Bayern's fourth goal. Getty

Bayern's Leon Goretzka. AP

Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski bagged another two goals as Bayern Munich routed Cologne 5-1 to consolidate their lead at the top of the table.

Lewandowski took his season tally to 28 as Bayern moved five points clear of Leipzig, who were facing Borussia Monchengladbach in the later game on Saturday.

Bayern quickly built a 2-0 lead through Choupo-Moting and Lewandowski with Leon Goretzka playing a big role in both goals at the Allianz Arena.

After floating in a cross which Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting headed home on 18 minutes, Goretzka combined with Lewandowski to prise open the Cologne defence.

However, Cologne fought back in their bid to claim a first win in Munich since February 2011.

Midfielder Ellyes Skhiri, who also netted both goals in Cologne's 2-1 win at Dortmund last November, chipped Manuel Neuer four minutes after the break to pull a goal back.

Manager Hansi Flick settled any nerves by bringing on Thomas Muller for his first appearance a fortnight after testing positive for Covid-19.

A minute after coming on, Muller's pass split the Cologne defence and found Lewandowski who restored the two-goal cushion on 65 minutes.

A horrible mistake by Neuer outside his own area left the Bayern goal unattended, but Cologne midfielder Dominick Drexler could only hit the post.

Lewandowski came within a whisker of a hat-trick when he just failed to connect with Lucas Hernandez's cross.

Serge Gnabry came off the bench to claim two late goals on his first appearance since tearing a thigh muscle in Bayern's Club World Cup final win in Qatar.

Gnabry was on hand to make it 4-1 before grabbing his second after Goretzka's excellent pass with both his goals coming in the last ten minutes.

Wolfsburg remain third after their 2-0 home win over Hertha Berlin, whose defender Lukas Kluenter turned the ball into his own net before Maxence Lacroix scored the host's second.

England winger Jadon Sancho converted a penalty and Brazil midfielder Reinier scored his first goal for the club as Dortmund stayed fifth with a 3-0 home win over Arminia Bielefeld.

Japan midfielder Wataru Endo netted his first two Bundesliga goals as Stuttgart's 5-1 thrashing of bottom side Schalke, whose Algeria midfielder Nabil Bentaleb had a second-half penalty saved.