Chelsea matchwinner Ben Chilwell hailed goalkeeper Edouard Mendy after victory at Brentford.
Chilwell scored the only of the game.
Veteran centre-back Thiago Silva was missing after playing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay about 36 hours previously, while Germany international Antonio Rudiger was also out injured.
That saw 22-year-old Malang Sarr given a league debut in a back three also containing Trevoh Chalobah, another inexperienced youngster, and Andreas Christensen.
"We have Eddy [Mendy] to thank, he was amazing," Chilwell said. "He made superb saves and got us the three points in the end.
"I'm happy to get on the scoresheet and happy to score the only goal of the game. But we showed our defensive steel."
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