Noble double makes it perfect 10 for West Ham United

After Cheikhou Kouyate had headed in a cross from Dimitri Payet, who registered his 10th assist of the season, Noble scored either side of half-time at the Hawthorns, mirroring his brace in the 3-1 win over Watford.

Victory took Slaven Bilic's side above Manchester United on goal difference and saw West Ham make it 10 games unbeaten in the top flight for the first time since 1985.

Tony Pulis's West Brom, now without a win in seven games, remain 13th.

West Brom had shot a big hole in Tottenham Hotspur's titles hopes by drawing 1-1 at White Hart Lane last Monday and they started brightly, with Craig Gardner's curler testing West Ham goalkeeper Adrian.

The hosts' two changes included a start for 17-year-old Jonathan Leko, the first player born in 1999 to start a Premier League game, and the winger set up a chance for Gardner that the midfielder headed wide.

But West Ham belatedly stirred and after Aaron Cresswell's low cross from the left narrowly eluded the sliding Diafra Sakho, they went ahead in the 34th minute.

As West Brom looked to launch a break from a West Ham corner, Winston Reid won a tackle in midfield that sent the ball out to Payet on the right and his delicately weighted cross was headed in by Senegal midfielder Kouyate.

Kouyate turned provider in first-half injury time as West Ham doubled their lead, racing down the left and crossing for Noble, whose heavy first touch did not prevent him from poking home right-footed.

With Angelo Ogbonna preventing Salomon Rondon from reaching Gardner's left-wing cross 11 minutes into the second half, Pulis turned to his bench.

Striker Saido Berahino and midfielder Sandro both went close after entering the fray -- the former scuffing wide, the latter shooting off-target from 25 yards -- but the hosts would come no closer.

Instead it was West Ham who had the last word, with Payet driving into West Brom territory and slipping the ball wide to Andy Carroll, whose lofted cross was emphatically volleyed home by Noble.