Leicester piles misery on Pardew
West Bromwich Albion was unable to capitalise on Salomon Rondon's earlier opener as Leicester City inflicted a damaging 4-1 defeat upon the Premier League's bottom club.
Rondon marked his 100th Premier League appearance in fine style with a well-taken eighth-minute opener but Jamie Vardy's brilliant 21st-minute volley — his fourth in as many visits to The Hawthorns — hauled Claude Puel's men level.
There was plenty of attacking endeavour from Albion but Alan Pardew's grasp on his job as head coach was made ever more tenuous by Riyad Mahrez's goal after the hour.
Kelechi Iheanacho made that one and the former Manchester City striker was delighted to head home his first Premier League goal for the Foxes, while Vicente Iborra put the finishing touch on a fine away outing late on.
Leicester retains UEFA Europa League ambitions as it lies three points behind seventh-placed Burnley.
West Brom's involvement in less desirable second-tier competition next term looks altogether more guaranteed as it remains seven points adrift of 19th and eight from safety.
Ben Foster almost conceded in comedic fashion when he fired a clearance against centre-back Ahmed Hegazi that rebounded back towards his own net.
The West Brom goalkeeper scrambled to recover and his side made the most of that let-off by taking an eighth-minute lead, Oliver Burke catching Ben Chilwell napping and crossing to the near post, where Rondon stole in front of Wes Morgan to finish.
Vardy should have levelled when he headed wide from Mahrez's searching delivery but, after Kasper Schmeichel brilliantly tipped a deflected strike from West Brom midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak against the crossbar, Leicester's go-to attacking duo combined to stunning effect.
There appeared to be minimal danger when Mahrez floated forward a sumptuous pass from just inside his own half. Vardy watched the ball over his shoulder and arrowed a superbly controlled volley low into the right corner.
The England striker thought he had another eight minutes before half-time but was correctly penalised for offside when he prodded home Chilwell's low cross, while a backpedalling Morgan deflected a shot from the marauding Rondon over at the other end.
Foster pawed to safety when Demarai Gray's cross-shot spun off Chris Brunt's knee before Krychowiak trudged off in disgruntled fashion when Pardew sent on youngster Sam Field in the 58th minute.
But it was a Leicester substitute who made a swift and decisive impact, with Iheanacho's cute pass setting up Mahrez to lift a similarly deft finish past Foster.
Pardew introduced Jay Rodriguez on a salvage mission for Albion but Leicester continued to look the sharper and more incisive attacking force, Foster denying Vardy impressively with his legs in the 74th minute.
He could only palm into the net when Iheanacho met Chilwell's chipped cross a couple of minutes later, with West Brom fans heading for the exits in response.
Those who remained saw Iborra rise and power home at the far post form Marc Albrighton's stoppage-time corner, the imposing Spanish midfielder unchallenged by an Albion defence that seemed physically and mentally shot.
