Chelsea are back to winning ways and as the final whistle went on an edgy, nervous afternoon at Stamford Bridge the sense of relief was clear for all to see.
Kai Havertz's header midway through the second half was enough to earn the hosts a first win in five in all competitions to ease the pressure on manager Graham Potter.
The Blues also confirmed the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk, for a deal worth £87m, midway through the opening half before the new man was paraded on the pitch during the interval.
Here are the talking points as Crystal Palace recorded a sixth defeat in seven.
Mudryk welcome
Little more than 24 hours on from the first report that indicated Mykhaylo Mudryk would be going to West London instead of Arsenal in the fourth most expensive transfer in Premier League history, the 22-year-old winger’s £87m signing was officially confirmed 22 minutes into this match.
The unusual timing allowed Mudryk, the flag of Ukraine wrapped around his shoulders, to come onto the pitch to a warm ovation at half time. But it was still an unusual move from a club that is being run in an increasingly unusual fashion.
More than an hour in, Potter may have been wishing that he could have used the new man during a second period in which his team continued to labour - until Havertz rose high to head past Vicente Guaita.
Badiashile’s bow
To put Chelsea’s injury problems into context Benoit Badiashile became the 28th player to be given Premier League minutes already by Chelsea this season - at the halfway point of the campaign.
That is two more than the entire squad used throughout the whole of last season.
The 21-year-old, who last week joined from Monaco in a seven-and-a-half year deal worth £35m, sought to make it clear that he is of the no-nonsense sort early on when he delivered a clearance into the upper tier of the East Stand when a simple pass into the advertising hoardings would have done.
And yet that straightforward, get it done approach has been badly missing in the Blues’ defence in recent games.
Aubameyang return
The 33-year-old was last seen being substituted after coming on in the league defeat to Manchester City 10 days ago.
Since then there were unproven and vehemently denied tales of a falling out with Potter, who said the striker instead had a minor back injury. But regardless of the rumour mill that has long surrounded the Gabon international there is a simple truth: he has not been good enough since joining earlier in the season in a deal that increasingly makes little sense.
Aubameyang had a good chance of doubling the hosts’ advantage with 20 minutes to go today but found Guaita in the way - with referee Peter Bankes giving the Palace goalkeeper a free kick after judging the Chelsea striker had committed a foul that was not necessarily obvious to the eye when watching replays back.
He remains on a single league goal for the campaign and needs another change of scenery - which cannot happen owing to FIFA regulations.
Remembering Vialli
Before the game Stamford Bridge united in tribute to the former striker and manager who passed away last week aged 58.
More than a dozen former team-mates and players joined the afternoon’s starting 22 around the centre circle as huge flags at both ends of the ground were held aloft.
To the immediate right of the media area a man blessed himself three times as a tribute video played on the big screens. And by the end of it not every eye remained dry.
When Havertz scored most of the ground then broke into a chorus of “Vialli, Vialli.”
Palace struggles
Patrick Vieira’s team are in a tough spot. They have lost all but one game since the World Cup but possess enough of a cushion not to be too worried about a relegation scrap. In-form Manchester United visit Selhurst Park on Wednesday evening and on this evidence, despite Kepa making a couple of solid saves, it is hard to envisage a home win.
And while there is so much talk about the need for Chelsea’s squad to be rebuilt, their problems should pale in comparison to what could develop at Selhurst Park in the summer. Ten players will be out of contract and the Palace owners do not have several hundred million to spend in one window.
