Bryan Robson's lacklustre side were never in the hunt as they were swept aside by a Newcastle outfit that has now won six games in a row.
United moved level on points with sixth-placed Blackburn and have rattled in 10 goals in the last seven days, as caretaker boss Glenn Roeder has surely moved another step nearer towards getting the job full-time.
Roeder has now achieved 28 points from a possible 39 on offer, compared to the abysmal haul of 26 points from a possible 69 accrued by his predecessor Graeme Souness.
As for Newcastle fan Robson, he cannot have been encouraged by hearing calls for his sacking from the large Baggies following.
As a contest it was over by the interval as United led 2-0 with a goal from the ever-popular Nobby Solano and a Shola Ameobi penalty.
An unlikely starter just 24 hours earlier as he struggled with the mouth injury sustained against Wigan, Ameobi then broke free in time added on to despatch a clinical second.
A furious Robson showed his intentions at the interval as he hauled off skipper Kevin Campbell, Steve Watson and Diomansy Kamara and sent on Nathan Ellington, Kanu and Junichi Inamoto.
In fairness it was a bold move that worked as the Baggies got to grips with the game without ever looking like scoring.
And now, the Baggies look odds-on favourites to join already relegated Sunderland in next season's Championship.
Quite frankly West Brom never competed and Robson said had it been allowed he would have used 11 substitutes at the break.
It was a backs-to-the-wall job from the start for West Brom as Newcastle embarked on a new era without Alan Shearer.
New skipper Shay Given had little to do in what was Newcastle's 500th Premiership game, which saw a first start for Matty Pattison.
The deadlock was broken on the half-hour mark when Pattison played in Michael Chopra, whose shot was blocked by Neil Clement before dropping invitingly for Solano to fire in from close range.
Five minutes before the break Chopra was sent sprawling by the over zealous Paul Robinson and Ameobi took over spot-kick responsibilities, beating Tomasz Kuszczak low to his right.
Ameobi then broke clear in second half time added-on and clinically shot beyond Kuszczak.