Leaders VfL Wolfsburg were crushed 4-0 by FC Nuremberg enabling Bayern to climb to within one point of the summit.

Hannover had won six Bundesliga matches in a row, plundering 15 goals in the process, but Bayern took no notice using their frustration to put the visitors to the sword.

Bayern started like the proverbial house on fire and scored after just three minutes through Claudio Pizarro.

Dutch international Roy Makaay produced a sublime pass to release Peruvian attacker Pizarro who drilled a left-footed shot in from an acute angle.

In the 31st minute referee Lutzs Frohlich then took centre stage handing a second booking to German international Michael Ballack for a foul he did not commit.

After Bayern players rounded Frohlich the referee consulted his fourth official and Bastian Schweinsteiger, the real villain, was rightly awarded the yellow card in a bizarre incident.

Bayern then showed their killer instinct - something that was missing against Juventus - with Makaay latching onto a pass from Mehmet Scholl to score in the 80th minute.

Peruvian substitute Paulo Guerrero, 20, added a third in the final minute to cap a fine performance.

German champions Werder Bremen were left cursing a late concentration lapse in a 1-1 away draw at Hertha Berlin.

Greece's Euro 2004 winner Angelos Charisteas had put Bremen ahead in the 80th minute using his thigh to force in a Johan Micoud cross.

But Hertha fought until the final whistle and Alexander Madlung produced an alimighty leap to head in an equaliser in the dying moments of the encounter.

Werder edge up to fourth in the German ladder four points adrift of Wolfsburg. It was a miserbale afternoon for tabletoppers Wolfsburg who were on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline at FC Nuremberg.

Marek Mintal scored after just 60 seconds to give Nuremberg the initiative and Wolfsburg then had Argentine international Andres D'Alessandro sent off in the eighth minute for a petulant foul.

D'Alessandro plunged his arm into the back of Markus Schroth and picked up a red card for his immature conduct.

Down to ten men Wolfsburg collapsed and Mintal added two goals (28, 49) to his first minute opener to notch his second hat-trick of the season.

Elsewhere Dutch manager Dick Advocaat failed to inspire Borussia Monchengladbach to victory with his first match in charge ending in a 1-1 draw at Mainz 05.

Czech marksman Vaclav Sverkos scored after 13 minutes for Gladbach before Nikolce Noveski equalised in the 58th minute.

On Sunday Schalke 04 have the chance to replace Wolfsburg at the top of the table with victory at SV Hamburg.