Wirtz shines to keep Leverkusen on pace with leaders Bayern

Bayern went seven clear with a 3-2 win over Wolfsburg earlier on Saturday, handing down the gauntlet but Leverkusen were dominant and controlled in victory to keep in touching distance. With 32 minutes gone, Leverkusen enforcer Granit Xhaka won the ball in midfield and fed Wirtz, who beat a defender and slotted calmly home. When Leverkusen won a penalty for handball midway through the second half, the 21-year-old Wirtz stepped up and converted.

Patrik Schick latched onto a Wirtz pass to score Leverkusen's third, keeping his remarkable recent goalscoring run alive. The Czech striker now has 12 goals in his past eight league games. Germany midfielder Wirtz now has nine goals to go with eight assists in 18 league games this season. Gladbach's Tim Kliendienst scored a consolation goal in stoppage time.

Having broken their 11-year title streak last campaign, Leverkusen eliminated Bayern from the German Cup this season. The two sides meet in Leverkusen in mid-February. The only negative for Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen, who travel to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League midweek, was the loss of Martin Terrier, who was taken from the field early on with what looked like a serious ankle injury.

Earlier on Saturday, Leon Goretzka scored a brace in Bayern's 3-2 home win over Wolfsburg. Kompany praised Goretzka, who was reportedly on his way out of Bayern at the start of the season but has revived his career under the former City defender. "Leon worked hard and showed us in training that he's hungry," Kompany said. "That he's playing well is a good story not just for Leon but for the team and the younger guys, who might be going through a difficult phase."