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A superb strike in the 51st minute from N'Golo Kante was enough to see Chelsea over the line as they beat Crystal Palace by 1-0 at Selhurst Park to end the calendar year on a positive note and claim their first hat-trick of away wins under new boss Maurizio Sarri.
It was a solid victory, more than a smooth one. Despite all the recycling of possession and repeated knocking at the home defence, the Blues only threaded together a handful of chances.
Nonetheless, Sarri's troops got over the line and got the job done. They are now just two points behind Spurs and five ahead of 5th placed Arsenal.
On that note, let's take a look at the major talking points from Chelsea's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
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#1 Chelsea dominate possession but struggle to create chances
As envisioned by most of the learned observers, Chelsea started with most of the ball and knocked it around. Palace setup in their 4-5-1 shape and completely foiled the back line with a power-packed midfield.
As one would expect from a Roy Hodgson side, the midfield stood to their lines without lunging into challenges.
The Blues had over 70% of the ball in the opening exchanges, but neither Hazard nor Willian managed to take the attack to the opposition. As a result, there was no shot on target in the open half an hour. A late burst from Kante was just wide of goal, but unfortunately for the neutrals, it was the closest either side had come to breaking to deadlock.
The Eagles meanwhile, started very cautiously. They were more than contented to let the yellow shirts dictate the pace of the game. Not to mention, Jorginho, who is the heartbeat of this Chelsea framework, was religiously awarded acres of space, solely because their primary aim was to congest as many spaces as possible.
Another highlight of the opening half an hour was Marcos Alonso's frustration. Often irked by the passes that came his way, the Spaniard punched the ball away after a long ball was just a little awkwardly played in. Much to his embitterment, the full-back was booked.
#2 Woodwork comes to Crystal Palace's rescue twice
Just when it looked like Crystal Palace's stubborn resistance would pay dividends, Willian and Ross Barkley ratted the cross bar in the space of four minutes.
In fact, no team has hit the frame of goal more times than the Blues. Marcos Alonso, who ventures forward with all the license in the world, has hit the post more than any other player in the Premier League this season.
Palace worked extremely hard off the ball, and to their credit, the woodwork stepped up when Vicente Guaita was beaten.
In the 35th minute or so, Eden Hazard beat a couple of opponents on the half-turn and won a foul. Willian, who was having an ordinary game, stepped up and beat the Palace shot-stopper, but saw his effort smash the outside of the post.
A couple of minutes later, the Brazilian tested Guaita, who thwarted it for a corner. Hazard's corner found Barkley, but the Englishman's overhead kick hit the same side of the post again.
#3 The long ball works for Chelsea as N'Golo Kante scores
It is safe to say that Chelsea were too passive and one-dimensional in the first 45 minutes. Jorginho saw himself in loads of spaces, there was a lot of sideways movement and none of the forward short passes materialized into clear-cut opportunities.
Sarri's reluctance to play long balls and crosses led to a lot of issues as against this sort of an organization, Giroud was not offered the right service. There were no passes played into his chest, no crosses that he attacked and moreover, nothing that suited his style as a center forward.
After sustained pressure, David Luiz surged forward and played a delightful ball into N'Golo Kante, who sprinted between full back and center-half to give Chelsea the lead. The long ball was exquisite and it was only bettered by the run.
Such is the unparalleled worth of N'Golo Kante; he just goes about his business professionally and serves every purpose. His energy, willingness to get the job done and match awareness is simply impeccable.
#4 Palace shift to a 4-2-1-3 but lack quality in the final third
The introduction of Connor Wickham, who has endured over four serious injuries in the past couple of years, meant that the hosts would shift to a front three, with McArthur playing on the shoulders of the front line.
The tactical tweak saw Zaha operate from his favoured left side, while Townsend was sent wider down the right. Wickham led the line for the final 20 minutes or so.
However, they did not manage to trouble the Chelsea back line at all. Zaha and co. were very slow and flat-footed with their approach. The Blues certainly had the quicker legs as they assembled in numbers to retain their defensive shape.
A late surge did get the home fans on their feet, but the lack of a killer pass proved to be their nemesis. Many would argue that they showed too much respect to Chelsea.
#5 What now for Giroud and Morata?
Chelsea's misfiring strikers have been a head-scratching problem for Maurizio Sarri, but now it might seem like their role at the club has decreased due to the gaffer's use of Hazard as a false nine.
It was always a battle between two forwards with different styles for the target man's role. However, with Hazard in scintillating form as a deeper striker, it looks like Olivier Giroud and Alvaro Morata's struggles might continue.
Speaking of the latter, he has had major problems with his confidence going into games. The former Real Madrid striker hasn't always showcased daunting physicality - an aspect of his play that has come under serious scrutiny.
Giroud, on the other hand, put in a fine shift against the Eagles, but hardly received the service he thrives on. This clearly shows that the present Chelsea approach isn't what always suits the Frenchman.
