There may only have been 100-200 fans protesting outside the stadium before the game, but against the backdrop of that fringe movement, this was a win Chelsea needed.
There are various concerns within the fanbase, and not everyone agreed with those gathered outside the Britannia Gate before kick-off.
But the general mood reflected the growing frustration heard at both home and away games, where chants in support of former owner Roman Abramovich – and against current custodians Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital – have become an increased part of the background noise around the club.
Just one win in nine matches before this was at the heart of those concerns – and chants in support of former manager Enzo Maresca, who left on New Year’s Day, highlighted the rising distrust in the club’s decision-making.
Liam Rosenior, who was appointed before Chelsea played Fulham earlier this month but did not take charge of the game, has not been targeted by fans, but a slow start could have risked him being drawn into the wider frustration.
Yet while Chelsea’s performance was far from assured, their superior finishing ultimately separated these two west London rivals.
Rosenior will be relieved.
He has spoken about needing short‑term results to secure the time required to imprint his ideas on a team still playing in an eerily similar style to Maresca’s. In fairness, his substitutions proved influential, with Andrey Santos offering tidy, defensively solid play, and Liam Delap winning a penalty.
Rosenior revealed after the match that winger Estevao Willian was the latest player to miss out through illness, and that a virus continues to wreak havoc.
“It’s running through the squad,” he said. “There were a few, I won’t say who, but there were a couple of players playing today who were complaining about their chests. They put in a magnificent effort.
“Liam was ill. Yesterday late, Estevao had a temperature and a fever. We just have to be really adaptable and adjust the way that we work.
“I felt that’s why we weren’t good with the ball. I won’t give you names, it’s not right for me to do that, but I’m so happy with the attitude of the group to get through this game.”
Put simply, Chelsea needed a win – to quieten the noise, stay within reach of Champions League qualification, and kickstart another new era under another new manager.
As Rosenior said: “We didn’t play the free-flowing football that I want us to in the end, but we got the job done and that’s a really, really pleasing result for the players to give them and myself more confidence moving forward.”