It takes two miles to turn around a fully laden oil tanker, and changing Chelsea’s fortunes seems just as prolonged.

A 1-0 win against Norwich and a 4-0 Champions League away victory suggest things are finally coming together.

But these remain fragile triumphs, and the real test will come away to Tottenham on Sunday lunchtime.

The Blues should have put the Norwich game beyond doubt early on… but nothing is routine these days; typified by the pitch announcer’s microphone packing up.

The morale-raising highlights from past matches, relayed on the giant screens of Stamford Bridge before kick-off, all show Chelsea players wearing Samsung-sponsored shirts.

It would be challenging to compile a similar montage of glittering moments from the current season.

However, a league win is a league win, and the Blues played well, stringing together neat passing moves, one of which led to Diego Costa’s 64th minute winner.

Tuesday night’s expedition to play Maccabi Tel Aviv produced goals from Gary Cahill, Oscar and Kurt Zouma (wearing eye-catching undies featuring Caribbean sunsets, which flashed above his shorts).

But the true saviour was Willian, the only Chelsea player still on an upward trajectory. Another of his sweet looping free kicks sailed over the wall and in. Without the young Brazilian, the Blues would be in the drop zone at home, and the Europa League abroad.

Chelsea have two extra days to prepare for Sunday’s White Hart Lane clash, and John Terry – who picked an ankle on the Israeli turf – will need every minute if he is to play a part.

As concerning were another sub-standard performance from the distracted Eden Hazard (puzzlingly coming after a man-of-the-match show against Norwich), and the ineffective positioning of Costa, rarely a man in the right place at the right time. No wonder Jose Mourinho looks so grouchy.

A couple of Costa goals against Spurs, and the oil tanker will have completed the 180-degree spin.