For the first time in forever, Chelsea finally took advantage of a rival slip-up to boost their chances of finishing in the top four.
Liverpool's surprise 1-1 draw with Newcastle offered Chelsea the chance to put themselves in a commanding position in the race for Europe. All they needed to do was beat fellow top-four hopefuls West Ham, and they did exactly that.
Thomas Tuchel's Blues are now three points clear of West Ham with five games to go, but there is a whole lot of work that needs to be done.
If you look at the fixture lists, there's no doubting that West Ham look to be in a better position. David Moyes' side have dates with Burnley, Everton, Brighton, West Brom and Southampton, and the idea of them picking up all 15 points from that run isn't exactly out of the question.
As for Chelsea, their five remaining fixtures will see them meet Fulham, Manchester City, Arsenal, Leicester and Aston Villa. Is that a five-for-five haul? It'd take a brave fan to say yes.
Victory over West Ham was obviously an enormous step, but at this point, Chelsea cannot take their foot off the gas. They have a three-point cushion, meaning one mistake might not be too fatal, but the Blues must retain their focus.
That City game will have Chelsea fans shaking, while third-placed Leicester also won't be an easy opponent. Arsenal and Aston Villa can both cause major problems, and beating Fulham is no longer the guarantee it once was.
That's why celebrations after the West Ham game were muted. Sure, it was a big win, but it was just one step in an enormous race which could be flipped on its head with one poor performance. The team must stay fresh and alert.
It's clear that Tuchel sees this. Against West Ham, the boss handed rests to Reece James and Kai Havertz, and he also resisted the chance to rush Mateo Kovacic back into the fold. There was even a cameo appearance from Tammy Abraham, which proved that the boss is ready to balance his squad over a run-in which also includes a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and an FA Cup final with Leicester.
This season more than ever, competing on three fronts is a recipe for disaster. Tuchel deserves credit for seeing the bigger picture against West Ham, but also for keeping his side competitive enough to seal all three points.
The big-game mentality that Tuchel has instilled into Chelsea was clear. When so much is on the line, it's important to stay professional and simply get the job done. That was how Jose Mourinho built his legacy at Chelsea, and Tuchel is taking a similar approach.
The Blues go into every game feeling as though they can win, and they'll need to keep it that way from now until the end of the season.
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Source : 90min