Dortmund crush Gladbach with Aubameyang hat-trick

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick and Maximilian Philipp struck twice as Borussia Dortmund demolished Borussia Moenchengladbach 6-1 on Saturday to stay top of the Bundesliga with their fifth win in six matches. The Gabon international took his league tally to eight goals from six matches as Dortmund enjoyed a flawless dress rehearsal for next week's Champions League group match against Real Madrid. The Ruhr valley club now have the best goal difference after six matches in Bundesliga history with 19 goals scored and one conceded and have quickly established themselves as credible title contenders.

BVB in the Bundesliga this season: Most points (16) Most wins (5) Most goals (19) Fewest goals conceded (1) Top of the league. ? pic.twitter.com/bzIrQVMfK3

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 23, 2017

"We played really well with the ball and off the ball," Dortmund coach Peter Bosz told reporters. "It was a team effort above all. I can only pay a compliment to my team with this performance coming only three days after Hamburg (Dortmund's midweek Bundesliga win)."

? @MarioGoetze speaks after #bvbbmg: "Fortunately, we've got @RBuerki1 in goal" https://t.co/nr5oYWeQEn pic.twitter.com/S7vmSe7hvN

— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) September 24, 2017

They gave Gladbach no chance with their high-tempo game and hit the woodwork twice before the talented Philipp grabbed two goals in 10 minutes. Last season's Bundesliga top scorer Aubameyang then struck either side of the break for his own double and made it three goals with a superb solo run in the 62nd minute.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is already tearing up the Bundesliga scoring charts again Read about his latest hat-trick https://t.co/p5Ld33tLPB pic.twitter.com/jbn0FikRqi

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) September 23, 2017

The hosts conceded their first goal of the season four minutes later but Dortmund's Julian Weigl capped his first start since a four-month injury break with his first ever Bundesliga goal, a sensational 20-metre strike in the 79th. Dortmund have 16 points, three more than third-placed Bayern Munich, who wasted a two-goal lead on Friday to draw 2-2 against VfL Wolfsburg. Hoffenheim beat Schalke 04 2-0 with a goal in each half on Saturday to move into second place on 14 with their fourth win in six matches.

? "We're very pleased." Find alll the quotes from #TSG's 2:0 victory over @s04_en on achtzehn99.de ? https://t.co/WJdegwjSpk.#TSGS04 pic.twitter.com/HTFflsEoDl

— TSG Hoffenheim EN (@achtzehn99_en) September 23, 2017

RB Leipzig, last season's runners-up, beat Eintracht Frankfurt 2-1 for their first win in three matches and climbed to sixth on 10 points. RESULTS RB Leipzig 2 (Augustin 28, Werner 67) Eintracht Frankfurt 1 (Rebic 77) Hoffenheim 2 (Geiger 13, Rupp 90+3) Schalke 04 0 Werder Bremen 0 SC Freiburg 0 VfB Stuttgart 0 FC Augsburg 0 Mainz 05 1 (De Blasis 54-pen) Hertha Berlin 0 Borussia Dortmund 6 (Philipp 28, 38, Aubameyang 45, 49, 62, Weigl 79) Moenchengladbach 1 (Stindl 66)