West Brom 4 Sheffield United 0 - Report

But Albion taught Sheffield United a footballing lesson at The Hawthorns last night- as Valerien Ismael's side ran out thumping 4-0 winners.

The Baggies have become set-piece kings under the Frenchman - with two of their goals arriving following long Darnell Furlong throws.

They opened the scoring midway through the first-half when Jack Robinson headed a Furlong throw into his own net.

And they then went on to score three times in a frantic 14 minute period just after half-time.

Dara O'Shea made it 2-0 win he fired in following a corner.

Alex Mowatt then extended the Baggies lead even further in a wonderful move he started and finished.

And then Callum Robinson - facing his former side - wrapped up the scoring when he tapped in a long Furlong throw.

The visit of Slavisa Jokanovic's side was Albion's second match in the space of four days.

But despite the intensity with which Ismael demands they play, the boss opted to name the same starting XI for both matches.

Sticking with his 3-4-3 system, Sam Johnstone continued in goal with O'Shea, Kyle Bartley and Matt Clarke the centre-backs.

Furlong and Conor Townsend were deployed as wing-backs with Alex Mowatt and Jake Livermore the midfield two.

Up front, Robinson was the central striker with Grady Diangana on the right and Karlan Grant on the left.

Sheffield United lined-up in a 4-3-3 system that saw David McGoldrick and Ben Osborn operate either side of Billy Sharp in attack.

Ismael said pre-match he expects his side to press and play with intensity and aggression from the first whistle to the last.

And they had the ball in the net after just two minutes here with Robinson eventually turning in a long Furlong throw only to be judged offside.

Albion's set-pieces - just like they had against Bournemouth and Luton - were causing all sorts of problems.

And in the second phase following another long Furlong throw, Robinson put the ball in the net again only to see his strike ruled out this time for a foul.

The Baggies were playing were the intensity and energy Ismael craves.

But clearly wary of United's threat, their performance felt more controlled than in the first two Championship outings - with Albion retaining the ball a lot better.

And in the 26th minute, their impressive start got the reward it deserved when they opened the scoring.

Again it was a long Furlong throw that did the damage with the wing-back sending in the ball with pace and swerve.

And the visitors simply did not know how to deal with it - with Jack Robinson glancing a header into his own net.

Jokanovic's side really should have been level just 60 seconds later when Sharp's ball put McGoldrick clean through on goal.

The former Ipswich striker had the entire net to aim for as Johnstone rushed out to meet him.

But instead of simply sliding the ball past Albion's keeper, McGoldrick fired wide in what was a huge let-off for Ismael's side.

From that point, the Baggies went in search of a second before half-time.

But it was from set-plays where they continued to get most of their joy with Bartley heading a dangerous Furlong corner wide.

Just two minutes after the re-start, though, Albion did get their second - unsurprisingly from a corner.

Mowatt sent in another tantalising delivery which goalkeeper Michael Verrips - who had replaced Arsenal-bound Aaron Ramsdale - dropped.

And the ball then fell for O'Shea who fired through and a crowd of bodies and into the net.

In the 55th minute, Albion made it three with a smashing goal started and finished by Mowatt.

First the midfielder did really to win the ball in the air.

But instead of stopping and admiring what he had done, he continued his run.

And Grant then produced an exquisite through-ball to slip him in - with Mowatt keeping his composure to slot the ball past Verrips and into the net.

Albion were up against a side who had finished ninth in the Premier League just 14 months ago.

But on the hour they scored a fourth with Robinson firing in from close range after Furlong had again caused havoc in the box with a long throw.

Ismael said in the build-up to the game he never wants his team to sit-back on a lead - something he felt they did against Luton.

And with 30 minutes still to play Albion pushed for more.

Townsend sent in a low cross which Furlong turned over the bar just yards from goal.

The wing-back then went close again when he drilled a shot across goal that sailed inches wide.

Arguably, man of the match, a goal for Furlong would have been the icing on the cake.

But it really didn't matter in what, overall, was a truly outstanding display from Albion that Sheffield United simply could not live with.

Teams

Albion : Johnstone, O'Shea, Bartley, Clarke (Reach 83), Furlong, Livermore (Ajayi 77), Mowatt, Townsend, Diangana (Phillips 57), Robinson, Grant

Subs not used: Button, Kipre, Castro, Tulloch

Sheff U: Verrips, Baldock, Egan, Basham, Robinson, Norwood, Fleck, Berge (Freeman 72), Osborn, McGoldrick (McBurnie 57), Sharp (Burke 57).

Subs not used: Foderingham, Bogle, Davies, Brewster.