Bayern Munich: Thomas Muller Pulls Another Rabbit from His Hat in Darmstadt Win

At half-time on Saturday, Darmstadt looked to be on their way to doing the impossible: beating Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. The Bundesliga leaders had only lost once at home during Pep Guardiola's tenure, and the last time they had conceded a first-half goal was November.

For a side that had played in the 2. Bundesliga a year before to put Bayern under such pressure was quite a surprise, especially with five players suspended.

It's not that Bayern were playing particularly badly: They had created the vast majority of chances in the game. Yet at the interval, Christian Mathenia stood unbeaten.

The opener from Munich-born and former Bayern man Sandro Wagner still stood as the only goal of the game, with Bayern puzzled as to how they could be behind.

The second half would show just why Thomas Muller is so widely regarded as a phenomenon of today's game. Four minutes into the second half, the forward took Rafinha's cross off his chest and fired home the equaliser.

Then in the 71st minute, he again took the ball off his chest for a volley. But this time, he fired an overhead effort into the top-left corner of the net, shocking Mathenia and putting Bayern ahead for good. The hosts would get a third through Robert Lewandowski, but the match had already been won by Muller, who'd essentially dragged his side to a 3-1 victory.

Muller wasn't having a good game at half-time, unlike some of his other attacking team-mates. But his team needed him and the 26-year-old, as he so often does, found a way to make it work. The reaction from the Darmstadt bench was surely one of: "Wait, he can do that?" 

That Muller's go-ahead strike was so out-of-the-ordinary for him was actually what made it very, very characteristic of him.

He's not Arjen Robben, he doesn't have a "trademark" move. He just has whatever move that works, and if he tries enough times, eventually something creates the needed goal: a clever pass, a hopeful cross or any shot, from any angle, with any part of his body.

Defenders can only guess what he'll try, but the odds are steeply against them as they take on a player who apparently will try anything and seemingly can do anything.

Saturday isn't the first time Muller has pulled a rabbit out of his hat when his team-mates have seemed to be struggling to hit the target.

In September, with Bayern having been held to a draw by Olympiakos at half-time, he also scored a stunner that may not have even been intended as a shot. But it didn't matter whether it was supposed to be a shot or a cross: the ball went into the net. An atypical goal, yet in that respect, so typically Muller.

As Bayern look forward to Tuesday's Champions League clash with Juventus, they may need a stroke of luck to emerge victorious. The Italian giants are in excellent form and, although with some fitness issues of their own, don't have quite the injury crisis that Bayern are facing.

As such, it's a good thing Bayern have Muller fit and healthy, because if there's any player in their ranks who can turn a game in their favor (even unexpectedly), it's him. Bayern have a wide range of attacking superstars including the likes of Robben, Robert Lewandowski, Douglas Costa and Franck Ribery. But especially if things are not going so well for them, it's Muller who could prove to be their trump card. He just seems to find a way, and that's what makes him so incredibly good.

@Mr_Bundesliga