It was 1-1 at the break but Embolo and Patrick Herrmann scored early in the second half and the former could even afford to miss a penalty before netting again, after Lucas Hoeler's header for the visitors.

Gladbach have a one-point lead over RB Leipzig, who won 3-2 at Paderborn on Saturday to temporarily take top spot.

Champions Bayern Munich, in fourth, are four adrift of Gladbach following their first defeat under Hansi Flick in Saturday's 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.

In Sunday's late game, ninth-placed VfL Wolfsburg lost ground on the condensed leading pack when they fell 3-2 at home to Werder Bremen in a rip-roaring game.

The visitors went ahead through Milot Rashica's penalty but the Wolves equalised when Wout Weghorst turned the ball home with his knee for his seventh league goal of the campaign.

Almost immediately though, Leonardo Bittencourt's acrobatic header gave Bremen the lead again on 39 minutes. Wolfsburg were frustrated in the second period but eventually levelled thanks to a curling effort from William.

But Rashica's cool finish on 83 minutes won it for Bremen, who move up to 12th.

Australian Associated Press