West Bromwich Albion 5-1 Swansea City: Matheus Pereira masterclass sends Baggies top of Championship
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Baggies defender Semi Ajayi scored his third goal since joining from Rotherham United in the summer
West Bromwich Albion registered a sixth successive win as they reclaimed top spot in the Championship from Leeds United by brushing aside Swansea City.
Matheus Pereira, on loan from Sporting Lisbon, was the architect of Albion's victory, scoring one goal and setting up the other four for Semi Ajayi, Hal Robson-Kanu, Matt Phillips and Kyle Edwards.
Sam Surridge had bundled Swansea back into the game after Albion had opened up a two-goal lead, but the Swans, who slip to 11th, had no answer to Pereira's brilliance.
Freddie Woodman made several saves to prevent the margin of victory being even greater as Swansea saw their unbeaten away record - the final one remaining in the Championship - emphatically ended.
In an even first half, Swansea had given as good as they had got until the 25th minute when Ajayi nodded home Kyle Bartley's knockback from a Pereira corner to put Albion ahead.
West Brom's second was the pick of their goals as Grady Diangana slipped Kieran Gibbs in down the left and Pereira steered home his cut-back at Woodman's near post to finish a classy move.
The Baggies' wait for a Hawthorns clean sheet this season continued as a grounded Surridge stabbed home from almost on the goal-line after a Swansea corner was allowed to travel to the far post.
But Slaven Bilic's side quickly re-established their two-goal cushion as Pereira's through ball set up Robson-Kanu to curl a cool finish around on-loan Newcastle keeper Woodman.
The second period was completely one-sided as Phillips headed home Pereira's lofted centre and substitute Edwards added the fifth just two minutes after coming on, taking Pereira's pass in his stride and cutting inside a defender to drill past the keeper from 10 yards.
The Baggies are now unbeaten in 10 games and have not tasted defeat at The Hawthorns in 16 matches, the club's best home run in almost a century.
Perhaps crucially, their five-goal haul also improved their goal difference to +21 - one better than title rivals Leeds, who once again are two points behind leaders Albion.
Both sides have won their past six games to frequently swap places at the summit and that could happen again in midweek as Leeds host Hull on Tuesday before Albion's trip to Wigan on Wednesday.
West Bromwich Albion boss Slaven Bilic told BBC WM 95.6:
"Pereira is a great player, a great talent, he's very hungry, he likes to learn, he wants to improve and he's enjoying it.
"But it was a really great team performance, defending as a group, getting second balls, counter-attacking, long attacks, set-pieces - to be fair, apart from their goal, it was all us.
"Don't forget that we played against a team who was unbeaten away - we knew that and that's how we prepared for the game.
"We knew they were good on the ball, they will not only frustrate you, they can hurt you so you have to be physical with them and have a complete game."
Swansea City manager Steve Cooper:
"It was self-inflicted and naive, and because of that we got what we deserved.
"The scoreline says it all. It was a difficult day and self inflicted for large parts.
"If you're going to be as naive as we were with the goals, you're asking for trouble.
"What we need to do is respond in the right way. We've got one option and that's to put it right on Wednesday night [at home to Blackburn]."