Jadon Sancho’s clever winner earned Borussia Dortmund all three points in a hotly-contested Rivierderby against Schalke.

The 18-year-old England international decided the contest in the 74th minute, cutting in from the left and shooting past goalkeeper Ralf Fahrmann to score his fifth Bundesliga goal of the season and give the visitors a 2-1 victory at the Veltins Arena.

The win left the runaway leaders nine points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the table.

Dortmund drew first blood through Thomas Delaney before the video assistant referee intervened to give Schalke a penalty, from which Daniel Caligiuri equalised with just over half-an-hour to go.

Midfielder Delaney met a Marco Reus free-kick to head home at the near post and give Dortmund the lead in the seventh minute

Dortmund continued to press and had a number of chances to extend their lead within the first 30 minutes, but were unable to find the decisive final ball.

Schalke started the second half brightly, albeit without carving out any clear-cut chances, but they were handed a way back into the match in the 61st minute.

Reus’ challenge on Amine Harit was not ruled a foul at first by the referee, but, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, allowing Caligiuri to send goalkeeper Roman Burki the wrong way from the penalty spot.

The equaliser galvanised the Royal Blues, who pressed forward with more belief in search of a winner.

But it was Dortmund who found it, Sancho adding to his burgeoning reputation by bursting into the area and shooting past Fahrmann.

The Schalke keeper then made a fantastic save to deny Reus as Dortmund looked set to make the points safe.

Raphael Guerreiro wasted another Dortmund chance when he stuck a post when unmarked in the area in the closing minutes, but the visitors still closed out victory to maintain their position of strength at the top of the table.