Karlan Grant's low right-foot shot finally broke the deadlock for West Brom against Birmingham City on 75 minutesKarlan Grant scored the only goal of the game as West Bromwich Albion ground out a West Midlands derby win over Birmingham City to move top of the Championship.
Grant's powerful low 75th-minute strike was enough for the Baggies to overtake Bournemouth at the top on goal difference.
Defeat leaves Lee Bowyer's Blues with only one point - and no goals - from their last five games.
The first West Midlands derby to be played in front of a crowd since the Covid-19 pandemic generated a tremendous atmosphere inside The Hawthorns - but it quickly evaporated as the hosts struggled.
However, it took the game's one moment of genuine individual brilliance from Grant, the Albion striker's fifth goal in as many games, to settle it.
Chances were thin on the ground, especially in the first half when the only meaningful effort on target was full-back Conor Townsend's left-foot piledriver which was tipped over the bar by Blues goalkeeper Matija Sarkic.
Birmingham woke up after the break, going close three times.
From early second-half substitute Jeremie Bela's right-wing cross, Scott Hogan just failed to connect.
Hogan then turned Semi Ajayi to get to the byline down the left and pulled the ball back but Ivan Sunjic was leaning back and his shot clipped the top of the bar. Soon after striker Hogan ballooned over on the half volley from Marc Roberts' long throw-in.
But the Baggies, beaten by a late goal at Stoke in their last game before the international break, had that bit of quality when it mattered most as Grant fired past Sam Johnstone from just outside the box.
Defeat leaves Blues with just one win in their last 10 away league visits to The Hawthorns - and they have now gone five games in a row without scoring for the first time since 2005.
Line-ups
West Brom
Formation 3-4-3
1Johnstone
6Ajayi5Bartley16Clarke
2Furlong8Livermore27Mowatt3Townsend
10Phillips7Robinson18Grant
1Johnstone6Ajayi5Bartley16ClarkeBooked at 72mins2Furlong8Livermore27MowattSubstituted forMolumbyat 62'minutes3Townsend10Phillips7RobinsonSubstituted forHugillat 45'minutes18GrantBooked at 89minsSubstituted forReachat 90+1'minutesSubstitutes
14Molumby17Hugill20Reach21Kipré22Bryan23Snodgrass25ButtonBirmingham
Formation 3-4-3
13Sarkic
21Sanderson4Roberts5Friend
2Colin20Gardner34Sunjic3Pedersen
7Chong10Jutkiewicz9Hogan
13Sarkic21Sanderson4Roberts5FriendSubstituted forGrahamat 83'minutes2ColinSubstituted forBelaat 47'minutes20Gardner34Sunjic3Pedersen7Chong10Jutkiewicz9HoganSubstituted forAnekeat 78'minutesSubstitutes
6Woods11Bela12Dean15Aneke24Graham27Trueman36DeeneyLive Text
Match ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Birmingham City 0.
Second Half ends, West Bromwich Albion 1, Birmingham City 0.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Dion Sanderson.
Attempt saved. Kyle Bartley (West Bromwich Albion) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Matt Phillips with a cross.
Substitution, West Bromwich Albion. Adam Reach replaces Karlan Grant.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Dion Sanderson.
Karlan Grant (West Bromwich Albion) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Karlan Grant (West Bromwich Albion).
Tahith Chong (Birmingham City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Attempt missed. Conor Townsend (West Bromwich Albion) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Karlan Grant with a cross following a corner.
Attempt blocked. Karlan Grant (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Corner, West Bromwich Albion. Conceded by Chuks Aneke.
Attempt blocked. Karlan Grant (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Conor Townsend (West Bromwich Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Jérémie Bela (Birmingham City).
Attempt missed. Jérémie Bela (Birmingham City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.
Corner, Birmingham City. Conceded by Matthew Clarke.
Substitution, Birmingham City. Jordan Graham replaces George Friend.
Attempt missed. Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right.
Hand ball by Chuks Aneke (Birmingham City).
