Bayern Munich ran riot against Arsenal to inflict a heavy 5-1 defeat on their opponents at the Allianz Arena this evening.

The defeat leaves the Gunners' Champions League aspirations hanging by a thread, as they sit bottom of Group F with two games left to play.

Olivier Giroud scored the visitors' only goal of the night, but it could not gloss over a phenomenal Bayern performance which was capped by Thomas Muller's second - and his side's fifth - late on.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look back at how the 90 minutes of action unfolded.

Match statistics

BAYERN MUNICH
Shots: 23
On target: 13
Possession: 69%
Corners: 9
Fouls: 8

ARSENAL
Shots: 7
On target: 2
Possession: 31%
Corners: 1
Fouls: 8

Was the result fair?

From the moment in which Bayern's third goal hit the back of the net, the more pertinent question was just how many they would score. In the end they had to settle for five, although it could have been so many more had they not taken their foot off the gas for a 30-minute spell in the second half.

In fairness to Arsenal, they improved following the restart and had a well-deserved goal to show for their efforts, but a four-goal winning margin certainly does not do a disservice to what was a superb performance from the home side. Twenty-three shots in all, a whopping 13 of which were on target, underlines just how one-sided this match was.

Bayern Munich's performance

It says a lot about the pressure of managing a club the size of Bayern that a goalless draw and European defeat in the space of a fortnight, coming after 10 wins on the bounce in the Bundesliga, is considered some sort of major blip. Alarm bells were far from ringing heading into tonight's game, of course, but Pep Guardiola knew that a response was needed in order to paper over the 2-0 loss from the reverse fixture 15 days ago.

Not only did Bayern avenge that defeat, but they truly humiliated their opponents at times by dictating play pretty much throughout. Key to it all was Thiago Alcantara, who seemingly did not rest for a second, while Muller and Lewandowski extended their impressive personal tallies for the season by clinically putting away their chances when they arrived.

The performance was befitting of a side considered favourites to go all the way this year and lift the crown, with each player knowing their exact role which was clear to see from the constant rotation taking place across the field. David Alaba best summed this up when swapping full-back for central midfield to bag the third, with the constant high pressing affording the visitors zero time on the ball. If this showing can be matched, then it is hard to see any team on the continent stopping the Bavarian giants.

Arsenal's performance

For all the positives surrounding Bayern's play, Arsenal were the victims of their own downfall at times due to their reluctance to close down opposition men. Wide players could double up and the more central players, such as Thiago for the opener, were given acres to take their time and weigh up the options available.

Take the opener, for example, where Thiago simply lofted in a ball for Lewandowski to head home unmarked after Arsenal's backline failed in their attempt to play a smart offside trap. It could have all been so different, though, as just 60 seconds after that opener Mesut Ozil found the net, only for his front-post finish to be - correctly - ruled out for the use of his upper arm.

From then on in it really was one-way traffic for large parts, bar a half-hour display which offered just a glimmer of promise for the Gunners. Heads did not drop and, after a succession of half-chances, Giroud acrobatically volleyed home arguably the best goal of the night. That will not paper over the fact that this was the club's joint-heaviest defeat in this competition. That, coupled with an Olympiacos win over Dinamo Zagreb elsewhere in Group F - via an added-time winner - leaves Arsene Wenger's men now requiring snookers to progress through so to speak.

Sports Mole's man of the match

Thiago Alcantara: The former Barcelona man may not have got his name on the scoresheet, but this was another superb display from the attacker. A special mention for youngster Kingsley Coman, too, whose teenage years belie his undoubted talent and ability - just ask Arsenal's shaken defenders.

Biggest gaffe

This may have been a night to remember for Bayern, who for the fifth time already this season scored five goals in a home game, but Xabi Alonso's first-half howler really was a memorable moment for all the wrong reasons.

Looking to take a quick corner, the deep-lying midfielder accidentally clattered the flag before making contact with the ball, which certainly provided the travelling Arsenal supporters with chance to laugh at something other than their side's first-half display.

Referee performance

Gianluca Rocchi had a very good night, waving away a small shout late on when the ball hit Per Mertesacker's hand, while also getting the one major call correct early on when ruling out Ozil's goal.

What next?

Bayern Munich: Bayern, no doubt still reeling from a goalless draw at Stuttgart last time out, take on Frankfurt at the weekend looking to strengthen their five-point margin at the Bundesliga summit.

Arsenal: Laurent Koscielny's late withdrawal here made it as many as nine absent Arsenal players, so they will be hoping to have a few back to full fitness for the visit of rivals Tottenham Hotspur in four days' time. This was hardly great preparation for that huge Premier League clash between the division's two in-form sides, though.