Football news - Werner stars as RB Leipzig thrash Mainz

Timo Werner hit a hat-trick as RB Leipzig beat FSV Mainz 5-0 in the Bundesliga.

Leipzig were chasing a win to move up to third place in the pursuit of the Champions League spots while Mainz needed a win to avoid being dragged towards the relegation spots.

It was, though, easy for Leipzig. Timo Werner scored the early first before captain Yussuf Poulsen scored on his 250th appearance for the club.

Marcel Sabitzer, excellent throughout the first half, added a third 10 minutes from the end of the first half to leave Mainz well adrift.

In the second half, it took Werner three minutes to add his second after a run of eight games with just one goal, and Mainz must have feared a repeat of the 8-0 rout earlier in the season.

Leipzig were so comfortable that they took the chance to introduce Willi Orban back to action after six months out with injury, the coronavirus delay allowing him the chance to get back in the 19/20 season against expectations.

Kevin Kampl thought he’d made it five but the fine effort from long range was disallowed because Poulsen strayed too close to the flight of the ball in an offside position.

Werner finally grabbed his third after quick thinking from Poulsen, and it appears RB are ready to chase Dortmund and Bayern.

Timo Werner had suffered a notable dry patch before the coronavirus break, and there may have been a suggestion of fatigue when he came back still out of sorts, with just one goal in eight games. That changed against Mainz and while he didn’t take every chance that came his way, he was back in form.

Part of Werner’s resurgence today has to be credited to Poulsen. His clever running and hard work off the ball was enough to get him a goal, but it also created space for a succession of chances for his teammate.

Mainz: Muller 6, Aaron 6, St Juste 5, Bruma 5, Niakhate 6, Boetius 6, Quaison 6, Kunde 6, Fernandes 6, Baku 6, Onisiwo 6. Subs: Latza 6, Oztunali 6, Barreiro 6, Mateta 7, Awoniyi 7.

RB Leipzig: Gulacsi 7, Upamecano 7, Halstenberg 7, Laimer 6, Kampl 7, Olmo 6, Nkunku 7, Poulsen 8, Sabitzer 8, Klostermann 7, Werner 8. Subs: Orban 6, Mukiele 6, Adam 6, Wolf 6, Lookman 6.

11’ - GOAL! Mainz 0-1 Leipzig. Werner scores - A late run from Werner allows him to meet a cross in the box, clipping a shot behind a defender to beat the 'keeper at the far post.

23’ - GOAL! Mainz 0-2 Leipzig. Poulsen scores - Sabitzer floats cross just on the edge of the six yard box, and Poulsen leaps with nobody close to him to nod home.

36’ - GOAL! Mainz 0-3 Leipzig. Sabitzer scores - Poulsen is released down the left, he squares it to Werner who misses, Nukuku slams it at Muller, but it bounces out to Sabitzer who neatly slices home.

48’ - GOAL! Mainz 0-4 Leipzig. Werner scores - Kampl runs away from St Juste, then darts back towards goal, plays a one-two with Nkunku to slide into the box and tee up Werner to tap in.

63’ - GOAL! NO! Kevin Kampl fires in a shot from the edge of the box, and it rolls past Poulsen and into the net. The goal is disallowed as it is fairly assumed the Dane had obscured the view.

75’ - GOAL! Mainz 0-5 Leipzig. Werner scores - Poulsen's quick-thinking chipped ball over the top takes advantage of slack defending, allowing Werner to tap the ball over Muller's head for his hat-trick.