Mauricio Pochettino says "decisive player" Cole Palmer has helped Chelsea build momentum for a better 2024.
The Blues won 3-2 away at Luton Town in their final match of 2023, but two late goals from the hosts almost threatened to ruin a positive 70 minutes.
Palmer scored two wonderful goals and got an assist for Noni Madueke's first-half strike, with Ross Barkley and Elijah Adebayo providing a late scare in 20 nervy minutes.
Pochettino praised Palmer's impact after earning back-to-back league wins for the first time since October.
"What can I say? It is obvious he is an important player for us, a decisive player," he told reporters after the game. "Then scoring goals like this, I am so pleased with him and the team."
Chelsea have struggled throughout 2023 with injuries, recording 19 league defeats across the calendar year which is worse than any Premier League team.
However, a welcome three points on the road gives Pochettino & Co. time to regroup ahead of an FA Cup match at home to Preston next week.
"It is really important to finish 2023 well, look forward to 2024 to start well also," he added. "It's really good to finish with good feelings and go into the new year with momentum.
"Overall, we were the better side and fully deserved the result. Too many positive performances. When you concede, you build the belief of the opponent.
" The Premier League is like this; if you see games like Arsenal, Liverpool, City, Newcastle, you understand the difficulty of playing here in this atmosphere. They believe in the way they play, very good players, very good coach and it is tough to play here.
"We needed the three points and we got what we wanted."
The blank midweek will give Pochettino time to plan for the upcoming January transfer window.
But the manager was keen to emphasise that he trusts his current players, adding: "Of course, I really believe in my players; it's only the circumstances we need to recover the injured players.
"The most important thing in my opinion, is to work with the squad; it is only now pushing them to step up, recovering players; that is my focus, 100% to try to improve our squad and our players."
