It is as difficult a spell as I have had here

Chadli as he picked up the ball from Angelo Ogbonna’s attempted clearance, giving him time to square it for Rondon, who produced a rasping right-foot shot inside the far post.

Just before half- time Antonio was too slow to come off his post as West Ham defended a corner, leaving McClean still onside –and the Irishman cashed in by diverting Claudio Yacob’s shot into the net.

If they were bad, the fourth was ridiculous. West Ham came out chasing the game, won a corner, but left not a s ing le defender back as Darren Fletcher cleared for Rondon to set off on a 60-yard charge be f o re he squared it for Chadli to tap home.

“The way we conceded that goal summed it all up,” said Bilic.

Albion hadn’t scored four since February 2015 – when they rolled over West Ham in the FA Cup – and their fans could scarcely believe it. But they still found themselves biting fingernails for a while as Dimitri Payet first set up Antonio to head his fifth goal of the season, minutes after hitting the frame of the bar and post from a brilliant freekick, and then won a penalty which Lanzini converted.

But Ben Foster’s superb save from a James Collins volley ensured the Baggies saw out the victory.

“We were delighted,” said assistant boss Dave Kemp, put forward to speak to the media because, he explained, boss Tony Pulis was “busy with a few things”.

“It’s a great help to us to have a player of Nacer Chadli’s quality added to our side – he has the sort of quality that every other team in the Premier League have got in their ranks.

“Rondon has produced bits and pieces since he has been here – but he is a terrific talent and if he plays like he did today then hopefully he can show us more often.”