Claudio Pizarro scored a historic goal as Werder Bremen crushed Borussia Monchengladbach 4-1 to continue their march up the Bundesliga table.

Marko Marin gave Werder the lead after five minutes and Wesley made it 2-0 in the 13th minute. Aaron Hunt extended the lead to 3-0 after 51 minutes before Per Mertesacker's own goal in the 67th minute gave the hosts some hope. But Pizarro re-established the three-goal advantage in the 75th minute with his 134th goal in the Bundesliga - making him the top scoring foreign-born player in league history after being level with Giovane Elber.

Werder have collected three wins and a draw in the last four games and have climbed to eighth place. Gladbach have not won in seven games and remain 16th.

Werder went ahead after just five minutes from a set-piece, although they were a touch lucky as Marin's free-kick from the left side went untouched through the box and inside the far right post.

The visitors doubled their advantage with Wesley never challenged before unleashing a shot from the left side which deflected off a Gladbach defender and past goalkeeper Logan Bailly for the Brazilian's first goal in the Bundesliga.

The hosts were not fazed and looked to pull a goal back, but Mohamadou Idrissou's shot from five yards in the 23rd minute was blocked by Werder reserve goalkeeper Sebastian Mielitz, who was making just his third Bundesliga start in place of injured Tim Wiese.

Werder captain Torsten Frings then blocked Igor de Camargo's header on the goal-line from the ensuing corner kick. Mielitz again stopped Idrissou superbly six minutes before the break from seven yards out and then in the 51st minute as well from three yards.

But Werder went ahead 3-0 later in the 51st minute as Hunt's left-footed shot went off the thigh of Filip Daems and past Bailly. Gladbach pulled a goal back in the 67th minute with the own goal from Mertesacker. Pizarro put an end to lingering doubts over the outcome with 15 minutes to play, making it 4-1 after hammering home Wesley's cross from the right side.