Alex Mowatt scored twice, following Josh Maja's climb as the leading scorer in the Sky Bet Championship, to push West Brom to the top of the standings with a precise 3-0 win over Portsmouth who are still searching for their first victory.
Maja, who has been in great form, netted his fifth goal of the season in less than a minute - only Erling Haaland from Manchester City has scored more goals in the top four divisions this season.
Mowatt found the back of the net twice in the second half to give the undefeated Baggies a one-point lead over Sunderland at the top.
West Brom, who fielded the same lineup for the fifth time this season, took the lead after just 54 seconds with a quick throw-in on the right side giving Tom Fellows space to outpace Connor Ogilvie and deliver a cross into the box.
Maja met the cross with a powerful strike past Will Norris, marking his fifth goal from only nine shots this season. This assist was Fellows' fourth, making him the player with the most assists in the Premier League and EFL this season.
This early goal set the tone for an exciting first 45 minutes, with both teams playing with high intensity.
Portsmouth had more possession and posed a threat, but their best opportunity to respond quickly came through their pressing game, which troubled West Brom multiple times.
Mowatt was almost caught out by Calum Lang when he lost possession, but Lang's shot was deflected wide.
Fellows almost added a goal to his assist when he cut inside and directed a shot just wide of the post, while Norris had to make a strong save to deny a powerful effort from Karlan Grant from the opposite side.
However, it was Maja who had the best chance to double the lead. He arrived at the back post to meet a long throw from Darnell Furlong, but Norris made a remarkable save to keep the ball from crossing the line, as confirmed by goal-line technology.
Fellows beat Ogilvie again before delivering a cross to Grant, whose header went over the bar.
West Brom started the second half brightly and increased their lead with Mowatt's seventh goal for the club, six minutes after the break.
The midfielder initiated the attack from the halfway line, and after a series of quick passes between John Swift and Grant, the ball found its way back to Mowatt, who calmly finished into the top corner.
Murphy's shot across the goal summed up Portsmouth's struggles to create clear scoring opportunities.
In injury time, Mowatt converted a free-kick into the opposite corner of his first goal, sealing a satisfying victory for West Brom in front of their 2,159 supporters.