As it happened: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Borussia Dortmund

Thank you for following our coverage of tonight's match. I've been Anthony Scott and see you again next time!

With the sides locked on points in third ahead of the game, the match was billed as a contender eliminator, and should Bayern Munich win tomorrow against Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund will be ten points behind them after defeat tonight

It was certainly a game of two halves at BayArena, with Dortmund controlling large parts of the second half having been dominated themselves in the first half.

Youngster Florian Wirtz proved the matchwinner, after Julian Brandt cancelled out Moussa Diaby's opener.

Bayer Leverkusen move up to second in the Bundesliga table after a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund

90+3 | Delaney is booked for a foul as he pulls back Schick as he looked to break through on goal right on the edge of the area

90+1 | Bailey breaks forwards and is tripped by Hummels who picks up a yellow card

There will be FOUR added minutes at the BayArena

89 | Half a chance for Delaney, who meets Brandt's free kick but he heads just over the bar 

88 | Marco Reus makes way for Tigges

83 | Youssoufa Moukoko replaces Bellingham as Dortmund make an attacking change

Leverkusen's threat on the counter comes good. Schick wins possession and links up with Diaby, who sets the youngster away and one on one with Burki slams past the keeper 

80 | Florian Wirtz strikes to put Leverkusen in front!

77 | Diaby is shown yellow after a challenge on Haaland

74 | Bailey is shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Hummels on the edge of the Dortmund area

74 | Leverkusen break, again through the dangerous Diaby. He is given room to drive forward and his low drive is turned away by Burki

73 | Sancho's evening comes to an end, replaced by Gio Reyna who is back after missing the weekend through a throat infection

70 | It's all Dortmund. Guerreiro breaks forward down the left and shifts the ball inside to Sancho but he fires wide of the post from twelve yards

69 | Leverkusen make a double switch as Schick and Demirbay replace Alario and Aranguiz

68 | Dortmund nearly go in front! Bellingham plays the ball across the 6 yard box and it falls to Brandt, but Tapsoba is on the line to block

67 | Brandt draws Dortmund level with his first league goal of the season. The visitors win the ball high up the pitch and Guerreiro tees up Brandt, who against his former club fires beyond Hradecky from 20 yards

67 | GOAL!! Julian Brandt fires Dortmund level. 1-1

64 | Dortmund force a corner as Haaland has his first shot of the game. Brandt plays in the striker, who holds off Tapsoba but his strike is deflected wide by the defender

60 | Leverkusen forced into a change through injury as Sinkgraven comes on for Wendell

55 | Dortmund are really pushing now. Sancho finds Meunier in plenty of space inside the area, but he blazes high and wide of the near post. Opportunity missed

54 | Dortmund should be level. Bellingham plays in Reus, who skips past Tah, but Hradecky is out at his feet. He opts to pass to Guerreiro but Wirtz is there to clear to deny the visitors

49 | Diaby again causes the visitors problems. This time the Frenchman breaks forward down the right and cuts inside before finding Bailey, but he fires over from the edge of the area

48 | Dortmund on the front foot early in the second half as Reus finds Brandt, but he drags his effort wide of the near post

We're back underway for the second half at BayArena

It's been pretty much all Leverkusen in the first half of this crucial Bundesliga match, but with only the one goal to show for it they may well find themselves rueing missed opportunities in the second half

It's Diaby's strike that is the difference here at half time as Leverkusen lead Dortmund 1-0 at BayArena

45 | A smart save from Burki denies Leverkusen again. Alario with the downward header on this occasion and the Swiss keeper gets down to turn the ball away

43 | Leverkusen continue to dominate the first half here, with Alario going close before Diaby again forces a save from Burki

35 | Diaby is causing Dortmund all sorts of problems. He breaks past Delaney and then shrugs off Hummels to go through on goal, but his effort is straight at Burki

30 | Corner to the hosts after Hummels deflects Diaby's volley wide of the Dortmund goal

27 | Burki denies Diaby from his and Leverkusen's second. Alario finds the winger who cuts in on the right but his effort is turned behind by the Dortmund keeper at his near post

24 | Reus looks to find room inside the area but opts to find Sancho, who is tackled by Wendell and the ball drops to Meunier. The Belgian fires the ball across goal but Haaland on the stretch can't reach it

21 | Leverkusen look to play through the Dortmund press when they play forwards, but this time Bailey's ball across is intercepted by Delaney. The hosts enjoying possession since going ahead

Bailey picks out Diaby with a great ball from the left hand side and after a sublime first touch, fires the ball past Burki when one on one with the keeper

14 | Leverkusen strike first slightly against the run of play - MOUSSA DIABY! 1-0

9 | It's been a good start from the visitors, all in yellow this evening, but they have been unable to really test Hradecky early on

3 | Wirtz forces Burki into an early save before Haaland has an effort blocked by Hradecky

Dortmund get this eagerly anticipated Bundesliga clash underway

Kick off moments away at BayArena

After opening his account for Dortmund on Saturday, Thomas Meunier was not really able to enjoy the occasion as they were held to a draw by Mainz.

“This is not a good result for us,” he said. “We had so many chances, it’s unbelievable that we only scored one goal. There were so many positive things on display.

“My first goal for BVB obviously doesn’t leave me feeling satisfied today. Leverkusen didn’t win, we’ve had so many opportunities to get back into the top three. Something’s been missing every time, we need to work on that.”

Having started the season in great form, Lucas Alario returns to the starting line up for this important fixture.

The Argentine is yet to start in the Bundesliga since returning from injury in mid-December, with appearances coming from the bench after Patrik Schick impressed in his absence.

With eight goals to date, the striker will be looking to help his side return to winning ways and move within four points of Bayern Munich ahead of their game on Wednesday.

Dortmund, meanwhile, showed that they are far from the finished article under Edin Terzic after drawing 1-1 at home to Mainz 05, who had gone into the game bottom of the table. Dropping points at home to lesser opposition seems to be a common theme at BVB, with it repeatedly being costly in terms of ending their wait for a Bundesliga title.

Levin Oztunali opening the scoring with a goal of the season contender, before Thomas Meunier’s equaliser, whilst Marco Reus put a penalty wide of the goal late on. Dortmund dominated the ball, as expected, with Erling Haaland having an effort ruled out to VAR, but the Black & Yellows could not find the breakthrough they needed.

It would be fair to say that Leverkusen’s form has hit the rocks lately – having remained unbeaten in their first 12 league fixtures, they have since lost three and drawn one.

Despite topping the standings prior to their last-gasp defat to Bayern before the winter break, winning the Bundesliga was always going to be a huge task for Peter Bosz’s side. However, the 57-year old will still be expected to deliver Champions League football to BayArena after narrowly missing out last term.

One point from three matches against Eintracht Frankfurt, Werder Bremen and Union Berlin – whom they lost 1-0 to on Saturday – is simply not an acceptable return with those expectations in mind.

Burki; Meunier, Akanji, Hummels, Guerreiro; Bellingham, Delaney; Sancho, Reus, Brandt; Haaland.

Subs: Hitz (GK), Morey, Dahoud, Schulz, Moukoko, Reinier, Piszczek, Tigges, Reyna

Hradecky; Bender, Tah, Tapsoba, Wendell; Wirtz, Aranguiz, Amiri; Diaby, Alario, Bailey.

Subs: Lomb (GK), Dragovic, Demirbay, Schick, Jedvaj, Sinkgraven, Fosu-Mensah, Gedikli

Welcome to VAVEL UK's LIVE coverage of the 2020/21 Bundesliga fixture, Bayer Leverkusen vs Borussia Dortmund! I'm Anthony Scott and I'll be your host for this game. We will provide you with pre-game analysis, team news, how to watch and score updates as it all unfolds!