Bailey strikes again as Leverkusen go second

Winger Leon Bailey showed why Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly tracking him with another stunning goal in Bayer Leverkusen's 2-0 win over Mainz on Sunday in the Bundesliga. Bailey, 20, gave Leverkusen the lead at the BayArena when he hit the back of the net from 20 metres with a left-footed strike. There was nothing on when Bailey looked up outside the area, but his shot across goal gave Mainz goalkeeper Robin Zentner no chance three minutes into the second half.

Leon Bailey in Leverkusen's last four Bundesliga games:

Hannover ⚽️⚽️ Bayern Munich ❌ Hoffenheim ⚽️?️ Mainz ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/stoagVkz0p — Goal (@goal) January 28, 2018

After also scoring last weekend with an audacious backheel, it was his eighth league goal this season. "It's crazy how well the boy is playing from week to week," said Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voeller shaking his head. Leverkusen could ask Chelsea or Arsenal for double the 13.5m euros ($17.8m) they paid Belgian club Genk for Bailey in January 2017.

?? @leonbailey has been a joy to watch so far this season ?

⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ ?️?️?️?️?️?️ pic.twitter.com/R9z8bdvoEY — Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 28, 2018

However, the player ruled out leaving in January's transfer window and the Jamaican is under contract until June 2022. "That was a nice goal," Bailey said mischievously after his superb strike. "I can promise I'll stay here for the rest of the season.

So cheeky from the Jamaican!

Leon Bailey gives Leverkusen the lead just before the half on this backheel goal. ?? https://t.co/sshls4hKYM — FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) January 20, 2018

"I feel very comfortable in Leverkusen and the chemistry in the team is good. "We have a great team that can do a lot this season." It was the latest eye-catching display from Bailey who scored and made a goal in last weekend's 4-1 thrashing of Hoffenheim. "He was the can opener for us today - the impetus came from Leon," said Leverkusen's Germany winger Julian Brandt.

No movement at the bottom of the table, but @VfLWolfsburg_EN took a big leap in the right direction with their three points against @Hannover96 yesterday. ⬆️ pic.twitter.com/agmUssz7OF

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 29, 2018

Leverkusen made sure of the three points against strugglers Mainz when Brazilian left-back Wendell converted a 68th-minute penalty, after Mainz defender Giulio Donati brought down striker Lucas Alario. The win sees Leverkusen climb to second, 16 points behind runaway league leaders Bayern Munich, who thrashed Hoffenheim 5-2 at home on Saturday. The Bundesliga's top-scorer Robert Lewandowski scored for the 18th time in the league this season as Bayern fought back from two goals down in style.

Mark #Uth and Nils #Petersen flew into double figures in the #Bundesliga scorer charts on matchday 20, as @lewy_official extended his lead at the top. ⚽ pic.twitter.com/MUgeeQ0MZg

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 28, 2018

VfB Stuttgart sacked coach Hannes Wolf on Sunday, after Saturday's 2-0 defeat by third-placed Schalke saw them slip to 15th in the table. Leverkusen are above Schalke on goal difference, with Eintracht Frankfurt a point behind in fourth. Borussia Dortmund are sixth after needing a 93rd-minute equaliser by left-back Jeremy Toljan to salvage a 2-2 draw with Freiburg.

Huge win for @VfLWolfsburg_EN, who clinch a first away victory in the #Bundesliga since matchday two ? #H96WOB pic.twitter.com/xGvVI15giF

— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) January 28, 2018

Arsenal target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang produced a poor display and was whistled on his return after being dropped for the previous two games. Dortmund were whistled by their own fans and Stoeger admitted he was also unimpressed with what he saw. "I didn't whistle, but I wasn't happy," he quipped. RESULTS: Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Bailey 48, Wendell 68-pen) Mainz 0 Hanover 96 0 Wolfsburg 1 (Malli 72) Bundesliga table after Sunday evening's  match (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Bayern Munich          20 16  2  2 49 16  50 Bayer Leverkusen       20  9  7  4 41 27  34 Schalke 04             20  9  7  4 32 25  34 Eintracht Frankfurt    20  9  6  5 26 20  33 RB Leipzig             20  9  5  6 32 29  32 Borussia Dortmund      20  8  7  5 42 27  31 Bor. Moenchengladbach  20  9  4  7 30 32  31 Augsburg               20  7  7  6 29 26  28 Hoffenheim             20  7  6  7 31 32  27 Hanover 96             20  7  6  7 28 30  27 Hertha Berlin          20  6  8  6 27 27  26 Freiburg               20  5  9  6 22 35  24 VfL Wolfsburg          20  4 11  5 23 24  23 VfB Stuttgart          20  6  2 12 16 26  20 Mainz 05               20  5  5 10 24 35  20 Werder Bremen          20  3  8  9 16 25  17 Hamburg                20  4  4 12 16 29  16 Cologne                20  3  4 13 15 34  13