Hello and welcome to Eurosport's LIVE text commentary of the Bundesliga clash between third-placed Bayern Munich and mid-table Schalke. Kick-off is 10 minutes away so let's have some quick team news.

Bayern win a corner and will use the opportunity to bring the big men up from defence - can they make the most of this set-piece?

Schalke are 12 points worse off than they were at this stage last season. What has gone wrong? Manchester City will be licking their lips at the thought of their last-16 Champions League clash next week.

GREAT CHANCE! Bayern are over-running their opponents in midfield and Gnabry should double the home side's advantage. He is released by Lewandowski's excellent through-ball with just the goalkeeper to beat but Fahrmann makes the save with his right hand.

Bayern are well worth their lead; they have had 71 per cent of possession in the first quarter of the game, registering three shots at goal while Schalke are yet to test Ulreich at the opposite end.

Undoubtedly, Bayern will have been lifted by that shocking result at Dortmund earlier. The leaders were leading 3-0 only to surrender and end up drawing 3-3. Win here and Bayern are back firmly in the title race.

Schalke have a dismal recent record at the Allianz Arena - and they have it all to do now.

The curse of the commentator - Bayern have the lead! It's an own goal from Bruna. Bentaleb loses the ball to Thiago cheaply in midfield, James slips a lovely through-pass to Lewandowski who looks sure to score, but Bruna inadvertently gets the last touch to take it past Fahrmann.

Schalke will be pleased they have managed the opening 10 minutes. The longer they can hold out the hosts, the more pressure builds on Bayern.

Schalke have been very hit and miss this season - they have only scored 24 goals - but they would love nothing more than to take points off Bayern and further hinder their rivals' title challenge.

BLOCK! Bayern look like they are in the mood here. The ball falls kindly for James whose strike from point-blank range is crucially blocked by Oczipka - and then Alaba rifles a shot just wide of the post moments later.

SAVE! Alaba picks out Lewandowski with a precise cross to the near-post but the Poland international doesn't generate enough power on his shot to test Fahrmann.

Bayern are hoping to bounce back after a dismal 3-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend - a result that saw them slip to third behind Borussia Mochengladbach.

Leaders Borussia Dortmund could only draw 3-3 at home to Hoffenheim earlier today, meaning Bayern have a great chance to close the gap at the top of the table to five points.

Bayern Munich get us underway at the Allianz Arena.

Bayern Munich: Sven Ulreich; Joshua Kimmich, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, David Alaba; Thiago Alcantara, Leon Goretzka, James Rodriguez; Serge Gnabry, Robert Lewandowski, Kingsley Coman.

Schalke: Ralf Fahrmann; Daniel Caligiuri, Salif Sane, Jeffrey Bruma, Bastian Oczipka; Suat Serdar, Sebastian Rudy, Nabil Bentaleb, Yevhen Konoplyanka; Weston McKennie, Ahmed Kutucu.