Timo Werner scored a hat-trick as RB Leipzig demolished hosts Mainz 5-0 on Sunday to reclaim third place in the Bundesliga after last week’s draw with Freiburg.
Germany international Werner, a target for several top European clubs including Liverpool this summer, opened his account in the 11th minute before Yussuf Poulsen nodded in the second goal 12 minutes later.
Marcel Sabitzer killed off the contest before the break, sidefooting into the top corner after another rapid break as Mainz collapsed.
Werner scored again three minutes after the restart and he chipped the ball over keeper Florian Müller with 15 minutes left for his 24th goal of the season and 91st in all competitions for Leipzig to become their all-time top scorer.
Leipzig moved back into third place on 54 points, one place ahead of Bayer Leverkusen and two clear of Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Bayern Munich lead the standings with 61 points, four ahead of Borussia Dortmund whom they face on Tuesday.
Earlier on, Schalke slumped to a shock 3-0 home loss to relegation-threatened Augsburg, their fourth defeat in five games, dropping them to eighth place in the Bundesliga.
Augsburg’s Eduard Löwen curled in a sensational free-kick in the sixth minute and Nigerian winger Noah Sarenren Bazee slotted home in the 76th before Sergio Cordova added the third in stoppage time.
Schalke, now without a win in nine league games, slipped down to eighth place on 37 points while Augsburg’s first victory after four straight losses lifted them to 12th on 30 points, seven above the relegation play-off spot.
The Bundesliga became the first major sports league to resume behind closed doors last week after being suspended for more than two months because of the Covid-19 pandemic.