Appointed at the end of November, Pardew could not have envisaged getting to the middle of January before claiming a first Premier League victory, but here at last was a result that added three points and injected belief into a survival mission that had begun to look doomed. This was a 'critical point' in West Brom's season, Pardew had admitted beforehand, and his players delivered in response, producing a compelling display that resonated with supporters and was utterly deserving of victory.