Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen move 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga thanks to a HOWLER from Mainz’s goalkeeper…as Bayern Munich plot to replace Thomas Tuchel with the runaway leader’s in-demand manager

Bayer Leverkusen’s march towards their historic first Bundesliga title continued after a hard-fought 2-1 home win against Mainz.

The in-demand Xabi Alonso saw his team take an early lead after former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka scored with a stunning arcing shot on the edge of the area.

However, the hosts quickly came back in the seventh minute when Dominik Kohr headed past Lukas Hradecky.

That set up a tense second half after Leverkusen squandered a series of golden chances to retake the lead.

But just after the hour mark his dominance was rewarded with a speculative shot from distance by Robert Andrich. The midfielder’s shot looked like a routine save for Robin Zentner, who had impressed on the night.

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Unfortunately for the visitors, the ball escaped the goalkeeper’s arms before entering the net.

With the victory, Alonso’s team moved 11 points away from Bayern Munich in the standings. He also scored 33 unbeaten matches in all competitions this season, a new record for a German club.