In a game that came to symbolise the Premier League's connections to so-called "sportswashing" by unsavoury owners, Kai Havertz netted an 89th-minute winner on Sunday to give Chelsea 1-0 victory over Newcastle.
Havertz used an exquisite first touch to control a cross into the box and then slotted a calm finish into the net to set off wild celebrations among the capacity crowd at Stamford Bridge.
It may be some time before Chelsea plays in front of a sold-out home stadium again after the UK government imposed sanctions on Russian owner Roman Abramovich, but the uncertainty surrounding the club's future has so far not had an effect on the pitch.
The win followed a 3-1 victory over Norwich on Thursday and maintained Chelsea's solid grip on third place in the standings.
For Newcastle, it was the club's first league loss of the year, ending a nine-game unbeaten run.
But this was always going to be a game that stood out more because of events off the pitch.
Chelsea have been granted a special license to keep playing after Abramovich was sanctioned because of his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, halting his attempt to sell the club.
Newcastle, meanwhile, are facing renewed scrutiny after Saudi Arabia staged a mass execution on Saturday, putting to death 81 people convicted of various crimes.
Newcastle were bought by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund in October, although both the club and the Premier League have insisted the Saudi state isn't involved in the running of the club.
Havertz may have been fortunate to escape with just a yellow card for elbowing Dan Burn in the head in an aerial duel in the first half.
In the end, though, his goal meant Chelsea escaped with a win that may quell talk of a full-blown crisis - for now.
"You feel sorry for everyone in the club, the supporters, also the workers, not only for us professionals, for the academy, for everyone, it's a tough time," Havertz said afterwards.
"But we just tried to give everything for them in the moment and if you can give them moments like this, it's always nice because we all have to stand together in these times and we tried to do that."
Elsewhere, Ukrainian forward Andriy Yarmolenko scored an emotional opening goal to help West Ham beat Aston Villa 2-1 and keep up their push for a top-four finish.
Substitute Yarmolenko was back in the Hammers squad for the first time since being granted compassionate leave due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and was left in tears after celebrating his 70th-minute goal.
He dropped to his knees with both arms pointing up to the sky as he was mobbed by his teammates.
Yarmolenko had received a standing ovation from both sets of fans as he came on as a 53rd-minute sub for Michail Antonio.
Boyhood Liverpool fan Conor Coady headed a second-half winner in a 1-0 victory for Wolverhampton at Goodison Park which pushes 10-man Everton closer to the club's first relegation in 71 years.
In other games, Watford boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation with a 2-1 win at Southampton while Leeds ended a six-game losing streak by beating last-place Norwich 2-1 thanks to an injury-time winner from substitute striker Joe Gelhardt.
The 19-year-old had come on for Mateusz Klich in the second minute of added time and then salvaged his side's survival bid two minutes later.
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