As Champions League group stage games go, Malmo at home was a banker for Chelsea. Yet Thomas Tuchel didn't want to take any chances and so eliminated all risk.
The Blues' head coach went with his strongest side possible. Thiago Silva started. Jorginho and N'Golo Kante too. The attack, meanwhile, contained Mason Mount, Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku.
Chelsea were ahead inside ten minutes A second goal was added soon after. By half-time, the contest was effectively over, but there were reasons for concern.
In the incident that led to Chelsea's second goal, a Jorginho penalty, Lukaku suffered an ankle injury. Minutes later, Werner pulled up with a hamstring injury. The initial prognosis was both would be ruled out for several weeks.
Tuchel did not regret his decision to start his first-choice forwards. "Things like this can happen. It was bad luck," he said. "It will take a while for both of them. We need more examinations to be more precise but they will be out for some matches."
That game against Malmo – which Chelsea ended up winning 4-0 – was played on October 20. Lukaku and Werner have missed the five matches since: three in the Premier League, one in the Champions League, and another in the Carabao Cup.
Fortunately, the opponents in these fixtures were favourable – Norwich, Southampton Newcastle, Malmo and Burnley – and Chelsea were able to record four victories and a draw.
However, tougher tests await in the weeks ahead. The Blues' next Premier League fixture is away at Leicester City. Manchester United visit Stamford Bridge soon after. And then comes a trip to the London Stadium to face David Moyes' impressive West Ham United side.
With Champions League fixtures to navigate around those fixtures, Tuchel will need his full squad available. In that respect, the international break has been timely for the Blues.
It is hoped Lukaku will be ready to return from his ankle injury ahead of the trip to Leicester; the two-week break between Premier League fixtures has enabled him to step up his recovery.
The 28-year-old, as he has posted on social media, started running work at Cobham last Friday and has undertaken further individual work at Chelsea's training base this week.
Werner may also be ready to make his return at the King Power while Marcos Alonso should be available as the ankle knock sustained against Malmo was not thought to be serious.
Tuchel should have a fit Mason Mount at his disposal, too. The academy graduate missed games against Newcastle United and Malmo and could only play the final ten minutes of the 1-1 draw with the Clarets due to infection wisdom teeth.
Mount, who could still join up with the England squad for World Cup qualifiers against Albania and San Marino, has had them removed this week and should be far sharper for Leicester.
"We will use the time and see what is going on in the second week of the national break," Tuchel explained on Friday at his pre-match press conference. "We have that break and we will use it."
International breaks in seasons past have often disrupted Chelsea's season. This time around, however, it may prove exactly what the Blues needed to help them sustain a Premier League title challenge and progress to the Champions League knockout stage.
