Bundesliga: Leverkusen stalemate helps Bayern reduce gap in title chase

Bayer Leverkusen were held to a goalless draw at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday as their lead over injury-hit Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga was cut to two points.

Xabi Alonso’s side had started the day four points clear but after Bayern’s 3-2 victory over Augsburg, the pressure was on

Leverkusen, the only unbeaten team in Germany’s top-flight.

The game’s biggest chances fell to Jeremie Frimpong, but the Dutchman was wasteful as Leverkusen struggled without their injured talisman Victor Boniface, whose 10 goals in 16 league games have spearheaded Leverkusen’s title charge.

“Gladbach were very compact.

They had great morale and energy today. We had the feeling that we could score but we didn’t. We have to accept the point,” Leverkusen coach Alonso told Sky Sport Germany.

Leverkusen will host Bayern in a crunch clash on Feb 10.

Alonso, who has led the club into a title race they hadn’t expected at the start of the season, has been strongly linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool coach, following the German’s shock decision to leave at the end of the season.

“It’s a shock and a pity. But I’m concentrating on my team, I’m happy to be here,” he said.

Bayern had come into the game having got back on track in midweek with a 1-0 win over

Union Berlin after a shock 1-0 home defeat by Werder Bremen last weekend.

With Dayot Upamecano limping off with a hamstring problem against Union, and joining Bayern’s growing injury list, Eric Dier made his first start as Alphonso Davies also returned to the starting line-up after being dropped in midweek.