Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali were at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as the Blues held on to beat Leeds and earn Graham Potter some breathing space.
Pressure on Potter has intensified in recent weeks but a first win in six Premier League games, and only his third in 16 matches since he was appointed, eased the scrutiny for now.
While a jittery 1-0 win provided some relief, it was hardly a convincing display from Chelsea who had only three shots on target and were holding on at the end against struggling Leeds.
Potter knows the victory now needs to be followed by a big performance against Borussia Dortmund in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Tuesday.
Boehly was asked by reporters at Stamford Bridge whether he enjoyed the Leeds match and the American said simply: “It’s a result”.
The message from the Chelsea owners has remained one of support for Potter but failure to progress in Europe would turn up the pressure on him.
Potter refused to describe the Leeds win as a turning point, saying: "It’s a nice three points, an important three points.
"It’s good for confidence and morale. The boys have been suffering because they care. The supporters have been suffering too. The win gives us a chance to recover for a massive game on Tuesday.”
