Kai Havertz's moment of magic in the dying embers guided Chelsea to a 1-0 win over Newcastle United.
Thomas Tuchel's side struggled to shift into gear and failed to register a single shot on target until the final quarter of an hour when Havertz nodded an effort into Martin Dubravka's arms.
As the tie went on, a goalless draw looked inevitable and Chelsea began to suffer the absence of some key players more so than ever before.
But, the Germany international rose like a phoenix from the ashes with a deft finish in the 89th minute to salvage three crucial points for the west London side after what has been a gruelling week under the microscope.
We, Carefree Chelsea at football.london, present you our good, bad and ugly moments from the Blues' 1-0 win over the Magpies.
The good
Havertz was excellent once again and he's growing into the shoes of Eden Hazard; the German has evolved into one of Tuchel's most important players.
He's enjoyed a spectacular run of form lately, directly contributing towards six goals in just his last seven games for Chelsea.
Havertz, like his Belgian predecessor, is quickly establishing himself as the main man at Cobham by stepping up to the plate when his side needs him most.
The youngster has shouldered the goalscoring responsibilities of both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, becoming the Blues' top scorer since the former Paris Saint-Germain boss took charge with 15 goals in all competitions.
While we must revel in his glory, Chelsea mustn't become complacent and should look to build around Havertz.
The bad
As briefly aforementioned, Lukaku and Werner struggled once again to warrant a value anywhere near the £xxxm that was paid for them.
While we give the duo the benefit of the doubt and appreciate the various factors that have - for whatever reason - contributed towards both their poor form and low confidence, the same problems are surfacing.
Werner, who could offer a tremendous amount on the break for Chelsea, found himself straying offside while also failing to retain possession in crucial moments of a game.
Lukaku returned to west London as one of the best strikers in the world - and he still is - but the Belgian just looks disconnected from the rest of Tuchel's side.
Had the Blues not won the Champions League without a recognised striker then I'd lean in Lukaku's favour but Chelsea did so without one so why should Tuchel sing from a different hymn sheet all of a sudden?
The ugly
Antonio Rudiger - the man, the myth, the legend - is a box of tricks that just continues to put smiles on fans' faces which makes his potential departure all the more sour.
The 29-year-old, who sees his current contract at Cobham expire at the end of the season, was excellent against Eddie Howe's side and a true contender for man of the match.
What was so ugly was not his performance but the thought of him not galloping forward from centre-back next season.
Chelsea could lose a real menace at the back next season and Tuchel will do well to find anyone remotely as good as him.
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