Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl described striker Harry Kane as a “killer” after his 23-minute hat-trick carried the side to a 4-0 home win over Stuttgart on Saturday.

The victory came after a three-game winless run in all competitions. Earlier on Saturday, RB Leipzig’s 2-0 win at Mainz sent them provisional top, before Bayern took over the Bundesliga summit on goal difference.

The match was still scoreless after 57 minutes before Kane stepped up and drilled home a long-range effort.

Kane had not scored in four games for club and country, his longest drought since moving to Germany.

The hat-trick was Kane’s sixth for Bayern in the league as he brought up 57 goals in all competitions for the club.

“It was nice with that first goal, and the two afterwards showed what a killer he is,” Eberl said of Kane.

The England captain told Sky Germany: “There’s always talk when you don’t score for a while as a striker.

“I always believed in myself, my abilities and my teammates — that was clear today.”

The 31-year-old took the match ball home for chalking up another hat-trick, and joked that his teammates “were probably a bit sick of signing them”.

“The last few results we’ve had, we’ve played really well but haven’t found a way to win the games.

“From there the game opened up and we took them to a level they couldn’t sustain.”

Bayern travel to Barcelona in the Champions League midweek, where they will come face to face with former coach Hansi Flick, who now manages the Catalans.

Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said: “We can celebrate a bit, but then it keeps going against Barcelona.”

© Agence France-Presse

Photo: Adam Pretty/Getty Images