Fellow summer signing Danny Batth also featured in the Premier League 2 clash, as he continues to wait for his first senior start in NR1.
Things got off to a worrying start for Sainz, who was down with his initial injury within the first minute. The Spaniard received treatment, however, and was back on the pitch by the fifth.
His reaction to the challenge earned him a yellow card, however, after he shoved Harry Whitwell in the chest.
Sainz was back in the thick of the action just nine minutes later, cleverly beating three West Brom players before being dragged back by Aaron Harper-Bailey, who was booked as a result.
Batth became more involved as the visitors grew into the game, snuffing out danger on consecutive occasions midway through the half.
But he was beaten shortly thereafter, Layton Love finding space in the box to open the scoring with a tidy finish.
Things went from bad to worse for Norwich in the 24th minute, when it became clear that Sainz’s race was run. He sat on the turf clutching the same ankle he injured early in pre-season, before being replaced by Adain Manning two minutes later.
Fenton Heard then came close to doubling the Baggies’ lead, forcing a fine fingertip save from Vicente Reyes in the City goal.
Before long, the Canaries were back on level terms. Good work from defender Emmanual Adegboyega found him shooting from the edge if the box, with Ronnie Hollingshead parrying straight to Manning to equalise.
Ken Aboh and Reece Hall had chances to find the game’s third goal at opposing ends, but both efforts were tame from close range.
Manning eventually found that goal, seeing his scuffed half-volley deflected past Hollingshead by Harper-Bailey.
Batth was replaced by Marcel McIntosh in the 77th minute, having been booked for a challenge on Love a quarter of an hour earlier.
Norwich City: Reyes, Adegboyega, Montoia (C) (Duffy, 77), Batth (McIntosh, 77), Wilson, Brooke, Welch, Lima (Eze, 77), Ogwuru (Coker, 77), Aboh, Sainz (Manning, 26).
Bookings: Sainz (3), Batth (62)
Goals: Manning (45, 70)
West Brom: Hollingshead, Nelson, Shaw (Phillips, 61), Hall (C), Mfuamba, Harper-Bailey, Heard, Richards, Love (Sule, 79), Whitwell (Walker, 79), Higgins (Bostock, 79). Unused subs:
Bookings: Harper-Bailey (12), Mfuamba (53)
Goals: Love (19)
Added time: 5 mins/6 mins
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