RB Leipzig eased past struggling Werder Bremen 3-0 on Saturday to reclaim top spot in the Bundesliga, two points ahead of champions Bayern Munich.
Having failed to win in its last four games in all competitions, Leipzig was desperate to bounce back and Lukas Klostermann's 18th minute goal quickly put it in the driving seat.
Patrik Schick, who had set up Klostermann, then grabbed one himself, heading in his sixth league goal in the 39th minute before Nordi Mukiele latched on to a deep through ball to fire in its third goal a minute after the restart.
Leipzig moves up to 45 points, with Bayern, in action against Cologne on Sunday, on 43. Borussia Dortmund, winner 4-0 over Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday, is in third place on 42.
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Former champion Werder, which has now lost eight of its last nine league games, is stuck in 17th place, a point above last-placed Paderborn.
Bayer Leverkusen moved into fourth place and into Champions League contention when Karim Bellarabi struck in stoppage time to secure a hard-fought 3-2 victory at Union Berlin.
The game was repeatedly interrupted after fans lit flares and smoke bombs in the stands.
Hertha Berlin made a winning start to life after Juergen Klinsman, beating Paderborn 2-1 with a goal from Dedryck Boyata and an own goal from Jamilu Collins, in its first game since its former coach's surprise departure this week.
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Klinsmann, a former Germany and U.S. national team coach, quit after only 76 days in charge, complaining about a lack of trust and support.
Hertha's win lifted it further away from the relegation zone and into 13th place.
Dutchman Wout Weghorst scored a hat-trick in VfL Wolfsburg's 3-2 victory over Hoffenheim, who twice come back from a goal down only to lose.
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