Bayern Munich win the stuff of champions

Bayern Munich's 3-1 win against Hannover will be remembered more for a crazy two-minute period in the first half than anything else, but it's the kind of performance that leads to championships.

Of course, RB Leipzig's surprising defeat helps Bayern extend their lead at the top to six points, but it also highlights that solid victories are very much a Bayern Munich thing in the Bundesliga. They really are, still, in a league of their own.

Many sides would have been thrown off by a second goal being ruled out, conceding a penalty, the scored penalty being retaken and saved, and then being pegged back level — but Bayern are not one of those teams.

Perhaps last weekend's defeat to Gladbach shook them out of any possible complacency, but there is something everlasting about Bayern in the Bundesliga.

The way Robert Lewandowski (whatever his hair color) always seems to find a way to score, the way Thomas Müller can return from injury to play a major role in a victory and remind critics of what he does best.

Even the way a supposedly retired head coach can turn the sports car club from stalling to finding top gear in a matter of weeks — it's all very Bayern Munich.

Even the manner of Hannover's equalizer was notable — it was the first the hosts had conceded from a corner in the league in nearly three years.

When we look back at Bayern Munich's 2017/18 title-winning season — and with the halfway point of the season approaching it seems Bayern's sixth title in a row is very much on the way — these are the games that should be remembered.

This was a perfect example of an Arbeitssieg — the German word for a hard-fought victory. Bayern keep making such victories routine, and if winning is a habit, then titles normally follow.