DORTMUND, Germany (AFP) — Bayern Munich set a new Bundesliga record yesterday when they claimed their eighth straight victory since the start of the season with a 5-0 hammering of Fortuna Duesseldorf to stay top of the league.

Bayern in 1995, Mainz in 2010 and Kaiserslautern in 2001 had all previously held the joint record of seven successive wins.

It was also the 300th Bundesliga victory for Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes thanks to goals by Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic, Brazil’s Luiz Gustavo and Rafina, plus two from Germany’s Thomas Mueller.

Despite second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke 04, third, also winning, Bayern remain five-points clear at the top.

Bayern went ahead on 28 minutes after a Franck Ribery pass split the defence and found striker Mandzukic unmarked on 28 minutes to slot home.

Enjoying 80 per cent possession, Bayern doubled their lead on 36 minutes.

Mueller fired the ball into the box and Brazil midfielder Gustavo enjoyed a simple tap in with Duesseldorf goalkeeper Fabian Giefer at his feet, desperately trying to scramble away the danger.

Mueller grabbed Bayern’s third on 55 minutes after a good pass from Ribery.

Fortuna’s defence folded again as Mueller grabbed his second on 86 minutes and Rafinha claimed the fifth a minute later.

Schalke enjoyed a rare 2-1 win at title-holding neighbours Borussia Dortmund in the 141st Ruhr derby, but the victory was overshadowed by the arrest of 200 fans during rioting in Dortmund’s city centre with eight police officers injured.

The Royal Blues took an early lead when Dutch forward Ibrahim Afellay volleyed home on 14 minutes at Signal Iduna Park stadium in front of

80,645 fans.

Schalke doubled their lead two minutes into the second half when an excellent pass from Lewis Holtby on the halfway line put midfielder Marco Hoeger away.

The 23-year-old sprinted clear of the Dortmund defence and drilled the ball past Borussia’s despairing goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller.

Having started with a 4-4-2 formation, Borussia then switched back to a 4-2-3-1 attack which paid off when Poland striker Robert Lewandowski headed home on 55 minutes to put the hosts back in the game, but it was not enough.

Defeat leaves Dortmund 12 points behind Bayern and four behind Schalke.

Bremen claimed only their third win this season as they hammered Moenchengladbach 4-0 to leave Bremen ninth in the table and ‘Gladbach 12th with just two wins from eight games this season.

Frankfurt enjoyed their sixth win in eight games with a 3-1 win at home to Hanover having scored two goals after only 18 minutes through Algeria midfielder Karim Matmour and defender Sebastian Jung.