Albion could have few complaints after they were well beaten by struggling Burnley at the Amex.
Graham Potter had warned in the build-up that Burnley were better than their league position suggested and they proved that against a lacklustre home side.
Wout Weghorst and Josh Brownhill put them 2-0 up at the break and Aaron Lennon’s goal midway through the second half killed off any hopes of a comeback and lifted the Clarets off the bottom of the table with their second win of the season.
Albion struggled to test Nick Pope in the visitors’ goal although there was a nice moment when 17-year-old striker Evan Ferguson came on in the second half to make his Premier League debut.
Graham Potter made four changes with Adam Webster (groin) and the suspended Lewis Dunk both absent. Leandro Trossard and Pascal Gross also dropped out of the team beaten by Manchester United with Adam Lallana, Tariq Lamptey, Shane Duffy and Danny Welbeck coming in.
Burnley gave an early warning when they were denied by the woodwork in the 11th minute after Connor Roberts’ curling effort from the right-hand corner of the box beat Sanchez only to strike the bar.
Burnley continued to look more threatening and they took the lead on 22 minutes. Roberts did well to evade Marc Cucurella and his pull-back from the right was swept inside the near post by the unmarked Weghorst 12 yards out.
Albion were struggling to make any attacking headway and it wasn’t until the 36th minute before Nick Pope was tested. Shaun Duffy won the ball in the centre circle and strode forward but his 25-yarder was comfortably saved by the Burnley keeper.
They had a much better opportunity moments later when Tariq Lamptey got to the line and picked out Adam Lallana but the skipper’s header was disappointingly off target.
Albion seemed to have some momentum but they were floored by a second Burnley goal in the 40th minute. Weghorst laid the ball off to Brownhill who cut inside Duffy and his low shot seemed to take a deflection off Marc Cucurella on its way past Sanchez.
Potter made a double change ten minutes into the second half when Leandro Trossard and Solly March replaced Jakub Moder and Lallana, shortly after Duffy had got up to meet Cucurella’s free kick but headed over. Moments later Neal Maupay met Lamptey’s cross on the volley but it was always going wide.
Albion had improved since half-time but were still struggling to create clear openings. There was a final throw of the dice midway through the half when Evan Ferguson came on for his Premier League debut but moments later Burnley wrapped up the points with a third goal.
Weghorst and substitute Jay Rodriguez were involved in the build-up and Lennon beat Sanchez with a rising right-foot shot from 15 yards that went in off the underside of the bar.
An afternoon to forget for Albion, who are back at the Amex next Saturday against Aston Villa.
Albion: Sanchez, Lamptey, Veltman, Duffy, Cucurella, Bissouma, Moder (March 55), Lallana (Trossard 55), Mac Allister, Welbeck (Ferguson 68), Maupay.
Subs: Steele, Gross, Alzate, Caicedo, Roberts, Leonard.
Referee: Kevin Friend
Attendance: 30781