Stuttgart 1-3 Bayern: Player Ratings as Spirited Fightback Sees Die Roten Retain Place at Bundesliga Summit

Bayern maintained their place at the top of the Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart, thanks to goals from Kingsley Coman, Robert Lewandowski and Douglas Costa.

The hosts took a shock lead on 20 minutes, when Tanguy Coulibaly side-footed home following a great ball across the box by Silas Wamangituka. That lead was extinguished on 38 minutes however, after Coman struck home from the edge of the box to round off a clinical counter-attacking move.

Stuttgart thought they had put their noses in front once again immediately after, but Philipp Forster's goal was disallowed for a foul spotted in the build-up by VAR. And Bayern took full advantage, with Lewandowski drilling home a rocket from outside the penalty area on the stroke of half-time.

The hosts pushed their visitors hard in the second half, and went close to stealing a point at the end, but Waldemar Anton's strike whistled just wide of the post. Bayern confirmed all three points through substitute Costa's late strike, securing Die Roten's place at the top of the Bundesliga for another week.

Let's have a look at the Bayern player ratings from an exciting 90 minutes of action.

BAYERN

1. Goalkeeper & Defenders

Manuel Neuer (GK) - 7/10 - Committed at Coulibaly's feet for the early goal, but couldn't get to the ball before the 19-year-old. Earned his corn at the end with a good stop to deny Sasa Kalajdzic.

Benjamin Pavard (RB) - 7/10 - Charged up and down the right flank well, and did his bit defensively. Challenged by the power and dynamism of the Stuttgart forwards, but stood firm.

Jerome Boateng (CB) - 7/10 - Left chasing shadows by Coulibaly and his electrifying pace for the goal, but marshalled the defence well once Bayern rediscovered their stride.

David Alaba (CB) - 8/10 - Shifted to left-back in the second half to try and nullify Stuttgart's flying forwards - and did an excellent job, too.

Lucas Hernandez (LB) - 6/10 - Stretched down his flank and cut open by Stuttgart's shock opener. Nowhere to be seen. Substituted for Sule in the second half.

2. Midfielders

Corentin Tolisso (CM) - 7/10 - Kept the team ticking over in midfield, breaking between the lines and trying to set his forward players in motion. Now worthy of his place in the team.

Leon Goretzka (CM) - 8/10 - The muscle of the midfield. Broke up Stuttgart's attacks and got Bayern moving in the right direction. Solid as his abs.

Thomas Muller (CAM) - 8/10 - The assist assassin. Set up Coman by sparking a sweeping counter-attack. Always floating around and popping up in untraceable areas.

3. Forwards

Serge Gnabry (RW) - 8/10 - So much desire to track back and help out his defence, putting in some great tackles and recovery runs. Stretched Stuttgart with his pace and always looked to get in behind.

Robert Lewandowski (ST) - 8/10 - Should have got off the mark inside two minutes, but hit the post with a header. He's never far from the action though. Drilled home a screamer just before half-time. A real bullet. What a player.

Kingsley Coman (LW) - 8/10 - Brought his side back to into the game, cutting in from the left and sneaking a strike into the near post. Clever. Got the assist for the second, too.

4. Substitutes

Niklas Sule (CB) - 7/10

Leroy Sane (RW) - 7/10

Douglas Costa (LW) - 8/10

Tanguy Nianzou (CB) - 6/10

Javier Martinez (CM) - 7/10