Italy striker Luca Toni scored twice to give Bayern Munich a 3-0 victory over Nuernberg and a five-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga.

Toni put Bayern ahead in the 31st minute, tapping in a Hamit Altintop free kick that Nuernberg keeper Jaromir Blazek had parried. Ze Roberto added the second from 15 metres, set up by a fine pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger nine minutes later.

Bayern eased up in the second half in the 176th derby against Bavarian rival Nuernberg, though France midfielder Franck Ribery was a constant threat. The hosts, playing in front of 69,000 in the Allianz Arena, could easily have scored more.

Toni managed to find the net again nine minutes from time, outjumping his marker and heading in a Ze Roberto corner.

The towering Italian, who came to Bayern in the close season, took his tally to eight and joined team mate Miroslav Klose at the top of the goalscorers' table.

"He's simply a first-class goalscorer," Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said.

"He's gets to the right spot at the right time. You might think he looks like he might be a bit big and sluggish but then he'll break free like a gazelle. He's a pivotal player and greatly strengthened our attack."

Toni, who is 1.96 metres tall, has scored many of Bayern's key goals, scoring the first goal in five Bayern matches so far.

"That's not a coincidence because I'm working to get a goal from the very first minute to the 90th," Toni told Premiere.

"Whenever I get my chances I try to use them."

Bayern, who played without injured Klose on Sunday, remain unbeaten with seven victories in nine league matches and lead the table with 23 points.

The five-point lead at the top is the widest margin a Bundesliga team has ever had after nine matches.

Promoted Karlsruhe, on 18 points, replaced Schalke in second after defeating the previously unbeaten side 2-0 on Saturday.

In Sunday's other match, Sotiris Kyrgiakos scored both goals as Eintracht Frankfurt beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1.

Kyrgiakos scored in the 54th and 79th minutes after Marco Russ' own goal equalised for Bayer in the 72nd minute.

Reuters