The point moves Schalke level on 30 points with Werder Bremen but the 2004 champions remain at the summit courtesy of their superior goal difference.

Bremen defeated Hertha Berlin 3-1 with German international Miroslav Klose scored twice to move to the top of the scoring charts with ten.

Bremen need a point against Barcelona on Tuesday to qualify for the Champions League knockout stage and Schalke's slip means they go in with the boost of being league leaders.

Brazilian playmaker Lincoln again started on the substitutes bench as Schalke coach Mirko Slomka stuck by the old adage of never change a winning team.

"Even he has seen how well the team is performing," said Slomka. But without Lincoln Schalke could not carve Nuremberg open in a tight first half with no goals at the interval.

Slomka put Lincoln on in the 67th minute for the ineffective Hamit Altintop but it was to no avail as the visitors failed to make the breakthrough.

"I am not unhappy but not content as we could have led the table again," said Slomka.

Schalke stay second and will be relieved that both Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart both slipped up too.

Champions Bayern lost ground on Bremen after a 1-1 home draw with lowly Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday and now trail Bremen by three points.

Bayern now turn their attention to Tuesday's match with Inter Milan in the Champions League where they aim to secure top spot in the group. Stuttgart drew 0-0 with Mainz 05 on Friday but stay third two points adrift of Bremen.

The top four teams in the league are seperated by a mere three points ensuring a frantic scramble for the right to be top for the six-week winter break.

Elsewhere Eintracht Frankfurt's Japanese international Naohiro Takahara was the star man for his side on Sunday scoring all three in his team's 3-2 win over Alemannia Aachen.

Takahara opened the scoring in the 14th minute and added two more (43, 61) for a first ever hattrick in the German top-flight.

"Against Newcastle (in the UEFA Cup) it did not work out for me but these three goals are great for me," Takahara declared.