Graham Potter’s Chelsea ended a run of six games without victory, defeating struggling Leeds United to relieve some pressure off the much-scrutinised Blues boss.
Desperately lacking a goal-scoring touch of late, Chelsea started the game on the front foot as a Raheem Sterling-led counterattack ended with Illan Meslier brilliantly denying Kai Havertz when through on goal.
Carrying much of the Blues’ threat, Sterling was again involved, this time cutting back to João Félix, who side-footed a bouncing ball onto the crossbar from the edge of the area.
The Blues kept knocking on the Leeds door, but it was a familiar outcome in front of goal, with Ben Chillwell failing to catch a back-post volley cleanly.
The HT break did little to alter the pattern of play, with Sterling the next to misfire in front of goal.
However, the Leeds backline could only hold out for so long, and Chelsea finally made their deserved breakthrough with 53 minutes on the clock, as Wesley Fofana rose highest to head in Chillwell’s corner.
Having previously tasted victory on just one Premier League away trip this season, a Leeds turnaround looked improbable, yet the visitors remained in the contest as the clock ticked down.
Nevertheless, Potter’s side did enough to see out a much-needed victory and avoid recording the longest Chelsea winless streak since the 1994/95 campaign.
Five points adrift from Fulham in seventh, the Blues remain in contention for European qualification.
Meanwhile, Javi Gracia’s Leeds remain outside the bottom three by a single point, nervously looking over their shoulder.