Schalke 04's poor start to the Bundesliga campaign continued yesterday when it drew 0-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt, while Werder Bremen crushed host Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-1 to move up to eighth in the table.
Schalke failed to replicate its Champions League form from midweek when it beat Hapoel Tel Aviv 3-1 and despite some good chances from Raul and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar was lucky to take a point after Frankfurt missed a late chance for Halil Altintop.
Last season's runner-up Schalke, which spent millions of euros in the close season, has started badly this term and is in 15th spot on six points.
Bremen took a fifth-minute lead through Marko Marin and Brazilian Wesley added another seven minutes later.
The host was again taken by surprise early in the second half with Germany international Aaron Hunt seeing his shot take a deflection and go past keeper Logan Bailly before the host cut the deficit with a Per Mertesacker own goal.
Peruvian Claudio Pizarro sealed Bremen's win in the 75th with his 134th Bundesliga goal, a record for a foreign player.
VfL Wolfsburg's lackluster start to the season under former England coach Steve McClaren continued when the 2009 German champion slumped to 1-2 defeat at Nuremberg. Wolfsburg is 13th with 10 points.
Champion Bayern Munich escaped on Friday with a 0-0 draw at Hamburg SV, which moved up to fifth spot on 15.
Leader Borussia Dortmund hosts Hoffenheim while second-placed Mainz, also on 21 points, travels to Bayer Leverkusen today.