Two goals from Mario Gomez, who also missed a penalty, and a spot-kick from Philipp Lahm sealed a comfortable win for Louis van Gaal's side, who move up to their highest position of the season as a result.

They remain 12 points behind league leaders Borussia Dortmund and five behind their next opponents Bayer Leverkusen.

In the day's other game, Papiss Demba Cisse scored in injury-time to push Freiburg into fourth place with a hard-earned victory at Hoffenheim.

Cisse struck the only goal of the game a minute into stoppage time for his 10th Bundesliga goal of the season.