James Beattie and Paddy Kenny may take the plaudits but United gave an industrious performance to secure a first Championship win of the season.
The Sky cameras were at the Lane to see the Blades fully deserving of the three points on offer as Beattie claimed the game's only goal with a brilliantly well-placed header after 37 minutes.
The victory was Bryan Robson's first in the League as United boss and it will be particularly sweet for him as it came against his former team.
United lined up with Geary at left back behind Armstrong further forward, and Bromby at right back supporting Gillespie. United began the brightest of the two teams and, after three minutes, Gillespie's mis-hit drive from the edge of the box deflected off Beattie and went wide of Kiely's right-hand post.
On five minutes, West Brom hit back but Phillips' first-time volley from 20 yards flew well over the upright and they went close just six minutes later. Only the crossbar denied them from breaking the deadlock. Phillips' dangerous cross from the left saw Beattie wriggle free in the box and his effort into the ground bounced up and onto the bar before Kenny did well to punch the ball to safety. Two minutes later, Teixeira's low, long-range drive was straight at the goalkeeper.
On 15 minutes, Beattie - of the United variety - had a chance of his own when Bromby's free-kick into the box was headed down by Morgan and the striker lifted a left-foot shot well over Kiely's upright.
The lively Gillespie then swung in a cross with the outside of his boot that Albrechtsen headed behind under pressure from Beattie and Sharp - Gillespie's resultant corner was sent back upfield.
United tested Kiely after 25 minutes when Bromby's drilled cross from the right found Armstrong on the edge of the box. His mis-control actually earned him a yard on Hoefkens and his left-foot blast was parried by Kiely. On the half-hour mark, Sharp latched on to Beattie's knockdown 25 yards from goal but his speculative shot spooned well off-target.
The home side had an appeal for a penalty turned down on 37 minutes when Gillespie's free-kick saw Bromby go down under Hoefkens' challenge, but that decision worked in United's favour as Armstrong retrieved it, swung in a cross from the left and BEATTIE brilliantly planted a cushioned header past Kiely and into the far corner.
In the minutes following the goal, Gillespie left the field momentarily to receive treatment to a cut lip and United saw out the remainder of the half.
The Blades kicked off the second period, now attacking the Kop end, and stamped their authority from the word go. Five minutes in, Geary's deep cross from the left forced Kiely to flap the ball behind for a corner which Barnett eventually sent clear.
On 50 minutes, Montgomery's excellent cross from the right almost found Beattie in the box but he was beaten to the ball by Hoefkens and then, a minute later, Gillespie's 15-yard drive was blocked by Barnett.
Albion's first attack of the half saw the Blades strike back on the counter-attack - Greening's free-kick into the box was parried out twice by Kenny before Gillespie hacked the ball up field. It found Sharp, who raced away and, with Geary tearing down the left flank in support, the striker chose to go it alone and won the Blades a corner.
As the 65th minute mark ticked past, the action was evenly-balanced and contained in the midfield, although Tonge did slip Sharp in but the striker was pulled back by the offside flag.
On 71 minutes, Kenny had to be alert to gather a speculative long-range drive from Hoefkens at the second attempt as Phillips and Ellington were ready to pounce. And, for the next couple of minutes, West Brom pushed United back as the game opened up.
In the 74th minute, Gillespie's foul on Robinson saw the Baggies win a free-kick. Greening swung it in but Bromby rose well to clear the danger and allow the Blades to breathe. To combat the men that West Brom were throwing forward, Blades boss Robson introduced defensive midfielder Leigertwood for Gillespie with 15 minutes remaining.
Three minutes later, Sharp received a standing ovation for his endeavour in attack as he made way for Stead who would provide fresh legs up front.
On 80 minutes, United had their best chance of the second period thus far when Tonge fired a well-hit shot with his left from 15 yards just a foot the wrong side of the post. Then, at the other end, Ellington's dipping drive from all of 25 yards was comfortably gathered by Kenny.
As the match entered its last five minutes, Kenny did tremendously well to get his body behind a Teixeira strike from distance and then he was quickly on his toes to smother the rebound at the left-hand edge of his 18-yard box. Next, Robinson tried his luck with a fierce half-volley at the corner of the Blades' area but that effort sailed a few yards over the crossbar.
West Brom had United on the back foot now and, in the 88th minute, Gera's right-wing cross saw Hoefkens' point-blank header superbly saved by Kenny, who pushed the ball away from his goal.
The Blades refused to be penned in and Armstrong broke down the left before whipping in a teasing cross between goalkeeper and defender but Robinson just got there before the outstretched Beattie to deny the striker a close-range shot at goal.
And, as we entered three minutes of added time, Beattie almost grabbed his second goal when he latched on to Geary's pull back but saw his stinging, controlled shot deflected wide for a corner.
United's name rung around the Lane as Bryan Robson's men notched their first three-point haul of the 2007-08 campaign.
Blades: Kenny, Bromby, Morgan, Beattie, Kilgallon, Montgomery, Tonge, Gillespie (Leigertwood 76), Armstrong, Sharp (Stead 78), Geary.
Unused: Shelton, Bennett, Lucketti.
West Brom: Kiely, Hoefkens, Robinson, Barnett, Greening, Beattie (Ellington 58), Albrechtsen, Teixeira, Phillips, Pele (Gera 58), Morrison.
Unused: Clement, Chaplow, Steele.
