This was lift-off for Graham Potter at Chelsea.
After a frustrating draw against Red Bull Salzburg and a last-gasp win at Crystal Palace, Wednesday night's 3-0 win over AC Milan offered a hugely promising glimpse of what may lie ahead.
The Blues' emphatic win over the Italian champions transformed the complexion of Group E in a stroke and helped dispel much of the angst surrounding their Champions League prospects.
The impressive nature of Chelsea's performance suggested that Potter's blueprint will be an effective one as they try to overcome the inconsistent early season form that did for Thomas Tuchel.