AC Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic has said it is time for his side to repay club president Silvio Berlusconi for his backing.
Milan beat Fiorentina 2-0 on Sunday, hours after Berlusconi had stressed that he still believed in the under-fire coach and his players.
There had been talk of Marcello Lippi being drafted in to replace Mihajlovic just six months after the Serbian took charge, but Berlusconi dismissed those rumours.
Mihajlovic told Mediaset television: "A great president knows when it is the right time to say the right things, and he gave us a lot of serenity at a delicate time.
"We've paid him back with this satisfying performance -- but this is only one game that we have won."
And speaking to Sky Sport Italia, he added: "The league is still wide open and we have 18 more finals to come. We've got to try to play them like tonight to climb as many positions as possible. Wins like this give you great belief.
"Juve and Napoli are a cut above, but we can hold our own with anybody else."
The Rossoneri are still 12 points adrift of league leaders Napoli and 10 behind Juve, but the gap to the top five and a place in Europe next season is now down to three points.
"I've got to say I'm very happy," Mihajlovic added. "We showed great substance. Fiorentina had always scored at least a goal in their games this season -- but tonight they didn't."