Last time I gave you a LovellLowdown on "short fat Müller." This time my Bundesliga wrap-up is vaguely concerned with a fat lady who has been spotted secretly loosening her vocal chords and is now ready to burst into song. It's official - the title race is over. Mind you, it's not the first time I've said this.

Bayern Munich's routine win in the local derby against lowly FC Augsburg combined with champions' Borussia Dortmund's unexpected home defeat means the gap between the heavyweights is now 14 points. Bayern continue their relentless march towards the title unabated.

Only Bayer Leverkusen can keep the gap at the top to manageable proportions. However, 'Neverkusen' are the German equivalent of Arsene Wenger's Arsenal, where Champions League qualification is considered akin to lifting a trophy.

Bayern can bask in the plaudits and have performed brilliantly all season, recovering immediately from any potential hangover from last season's second place triple.

With a solitary league win all season, Augsburg had nothing to lose and played with a real freedom against their 'big brother' from Munich. Despite looking a tight unit, the cellar dwellers failed to entice Manuel Neuer out of his comfort zone, leaving the game with a predictable air of inevitability to it.

Like their last away Bundesliga outing in Freiburg, the result was more important than the performance for the record German champions. For vast periods of play, Bayern looked like they were going through the motions, but champions churn out clean sheets and get the breaks at just the right times. A penalty given for handball before the interval was casually dispatched by Thomas Müller and the game followed script. The plot unravelled whilst Dortmund were the victims of a cruel twist of fate against Wolfsburg.

Any potential post-Chelsea penalty trauma has been quickly extinguished by a supremely confident Müller, who has assumed penalty taking responsibilities and is clearly relishing the challenge. The 23-year-old is now Bayern's leading marksman with 12 goals in all competitions (9 league goals). The 2010 World Cup top scorer said: "I'll keep taking the penalties as long as I keep scoring. It's gone well the last few times. I have a good feeling about it. It's all working out."

Whilst Franck Ribery receives most of the attention as the Reds man of the season, let's not forget Dante's impact. Holger Badstuber's serious injury against BVB meant that added scrutiny was bound to be given to a potentially brittle defence. We need not doubt Dante though, who has been an absolute rock at the heart of an extremely miserly unit.

The 29-year-old has proved to be an outstanding acquisition, churning out composed performances week in, week out. Given the hit or miss alternatives Daniel van Buyten and Jerome Boateng, it is imperative for Bayern that Dante remains on top of his game, especially on the Champions League stage. On this form it's surely a matter of time before the Brazilian receives a deserved call-up for the Seleção ahead of the 2014 World Cup in his homeland. The ambitious defender vowed that the record German champions would not rest on their laurels before the traditional winter break: "We want to continue with this fabulous lead in the Bundesliga and if possible increase it against my former team Borussia Mönchengladbach."

Mario Gomez put the game to bed within two minutes of his introduction as a substitute for fellow Mario (Mandzukic). Gomez has been quietly eased back into the fray by coach Jupp Heynckes after recovering from injury but showed what a tremendous asset he is, even off the bench.

'Super Mario' burst powerfully into the box on 63 minutes, running onto a measured through ball by Ribery and lashed a strong drive into the roof of the net.
Gomez summed it up perfectly: "These are the games you have to win if you're to be champions. And we've won again."

Bayern remain unbeaten away from home in the Bundesliga and have conceded only a single goal on their travels, a total of only six overall.

Meanwhile, the fat lady spotted was spotted sneaking out of her dressing room.


FC Augsburg Amsif - Vogt, Sankoh (71' Hain), Klavan, de Jong - Callsen-Bracker, Baier - Musona (90' Petrzela), Koo, Werner - Mölders (66' Bancé)
Bayern Munich Neuer - Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Alaba - Martinez, Schweinsteiger - Müller (78' Tymoshchuk), Kroos (86' Rafinha), Ribery - Mandzukic (61' Gomez)

Goals: 0-1 Müller (39' pen), 0-2 Gomez (63')

Referee: Dr Drees
Attendance: 30,660 (sold out)