Leverkusen respond in kind to Schalke

Bayer 04 Leverkusen beat VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 to return to the top of the Bundesliga after FC Schalke 04 had enjoyed a brief spell at the summit courtesy of a victory over 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Friday.

Kroos double
Toni Kroos had given Leverkusen the lead on 18 minutes but Juup Heynckes' side found themselves behind nine minutes after half-time when Dante added to Roel Brouwers' equaliser (37). Eren Derdiyok drew them level on the hour before Kroos doubled his tally with the winner 21 minutes from time. That win restores Leverkusen's one-point lead over Schalke at the top, Jefferson Farfan's 12th-minute strike earning Felix Magath's team a 1-0 triumph against Mainz.

Bayern statement
Hot on the top two's heels are FC Bayern München following their 5-2 victory over bottom side Hertha BSC Berlin. Louis van Gaal's charges are now unbeaten in eight in all competitions and have hit five in successive league fixtures, Daniel Van Buyten, Mario Gómez, Arjen Robben, Thomas Müller and Ivica Olić all getting their name on the scoresheet on this occasion. BV Borussia Dortmund complete the top four, three points adrift of Bayern, having kept pace by beating SC Freiburg 1-0 thanks to Lucas Barrios' goal (19).

Wolfsburg held
Fifth plays six when Werder Bremen travel to Hamburger SV on Sunday, while seventh-placed TSG 1899 Hoffenheim lost 3-1 at VfB Stuttgart in Saturday's evening kick-off. The visitors had Gustavo sent off after 54 minutes of what was Stuttgart's maiden league win of Christian Gross's tenure. Edin Džeko scored his seventh league goal of the campaign as VfL Wolfsburg drew 2-2 at Eintracht Frankfurt, while VfL Bochum 1848 won 3-2 away to Hannover 96.