Timo Werner warns there is more to come from RB Leipzig, who enter the Bundesliga winter break in first place after coming from behind to claim a 3-1 home win against Augsburg on Saturday.
The German league is put on hold for a month from Sunday onwards and Leipzig’s hard-fought home win left them two points clear in the table.
“Many teams do not yet know what we are capable of - we can do much more,” warned Germany striker Werner, who has scored 18 goals in 17 league games.
Leipzig fell behind after just eight minutes when Augsburg’s top-scoring forward Florian Niederlechner stabbed home a cross.
However, Leipzig battered the visitors’ goal and their 16th attempt finally went in when midfielder Konrad Laimer curled his shot inside the top corner on 68 minutes.
The hosts took the lead with ten minutes left when Czech forward Patrik Schick headed home his third goal in as many games after he was left unmarked at the far post.
Danish striker Yussuf Poulsen grabbed Leipzig’s third goal in the 89th minute when he converted a pass from Werner.
“We are very unlucky to fall behind because for once, we failed to defend aggressively enough in our own half,” said Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann.
“Nevertheless, we created a lot of chances and deservedly came back.”
Second-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach missed the chance to draw level with Leipzig, who they now trail by two points, after being held to a goalless draw at Hertha Berlin.
Under former Germany and USA head coach Jurgen Klinsmann, Hertha have picked up seven points in their last three games.
Teen nets for Bayern
Elsewhere, Dutch teenager Joshua Zirkzee continued his dream scoring run for Bayern Munich by giving the defending champions a late lead in their 2-0 win at home to Wolfsburg.
Having scored on his Bundesliga debut, also as a sub, in their 3-1 midweek win at Freiburg, Zirkzee fired home a Thomas Mueller pass with his first touch after coming off the bench at the Allianz Arena.
Remarkably, 18-year-old Zirkzee has needed just eight minutes of playing time for his two league goals.
Germany winger Serge Gnabry then added a second goal just before the final whistle to seal the win which leaves Bayern third and four points behind Leipzig.
The win came at a price, however, as defender Javi Martinez had to be helped off and will be “out for six weeks,” confirmed interim coach Hansi Flick.
Bayern already have fellow centre-backs Niklas Suele and Lucas Hernandez sidelined by long-term injuries.
Under Flick, Bayern have won eight of their last ten games and reached the last 16 of the Champions League with six straight wins.
A decision about Flick’s future is expected in the coming days.
“He’s doing a good job, nothing speaks against it,” club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sky when asked if Flick is likely to remain in charge until May.
Schalke are fifth following their 2-2 draw at home to Freiburg, who converted two second-half penalties.
The Royal Blues took the lead in Gelsenkirchen when Turkey midfielder Suat Serdar showed great finishing.
Freiburg equalised early in the second half when Germany striker Nils Petersen converted a penalty.
Their South Korean midfielder Kwon Chang-Hoon then hit the post just before Freiburg winger Vincenzo Grifo chipped home a penalty attempt to put them 2-1 up with 23 minutes left.
However, Schalke claimed a point when substitute forward Ahmed Kutucu hit a brilliant shot from the edge of the area.
The result leaves Schalke level on 30 points with Borussia Dortmund, who crashed 2-1 defeat at Hoffenheim on Friday.
Cologne left the relegation places with a 1-0 win at home to Werder Bremen, who drop into the bottom three, thanks to a first-half goal by Colombia striker Jhon Cordoba from close range.
After three straight defeats, Leverkusen are now sixth after their 1-0 win at Mainz as Argentina striker Lucas Alario scored a 90th-minute winner.
Leverkusen played the last 20 minutes with 10 men after Brazilian defender Wendell was sent off for a second yellow card.
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