Winning in the absence of Diego Costa proved Jose Mourinho's belief that Chelsea are collectively stronger and ready for a Barclays Premier League title challenge this term.
Mourinho believes his side would be champions elect in any other championship than the competitive Premier League, which the Blues top by five points with seven wins in an unbeaten eight-game opening to the campaign.
The latest success was a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace when Costa, scorer of nine goals in his first seven Premier League appearances, was absent due to his persistent hamstring problem.
"There is a general feeling that our team improved because of Diego and [Cesc] Fabregas," Mourinho said.
"And it's right and it's true and it's fair to say that. But, at the same time, this team had a big improvement.
"It was good for the group, as a group, to have an important victory without one player that 'til this moment has scored so many goals and given us so many points."
Costa is out of Tuesday's Champions League Group G clash with Maribor and has a slight chance of returning in Sunday's Premier League clash at Manchester United.
Mourinho added: "Maribor, no chance. Man United, very little. But, very little."
Chelsea lost at Selhurst Park last season, but sublime goals from Oscar, with a free-kick, and Fabregas earned victory, with Fraizer Campbell's late strike proving merely a consolation.
It was a far cry from the March loss after which Mourinho conceded defeat in the title chase and declared his team lacked "balls".
The Portuguese added: "Last year my team was naive, couldn't cope with certain moments of the game, so we work, we work, we work and in this moment I'm happy.
"We are not a perfect team -- long way to go -- but in many aspects our team is a better team.
"It's not just about being brave, having courage, fighting a lot, coping with a physical match.
"This time was about imposing our game. We come here and we impose our game.
"From minute one we had the ball, we passed the ball, we moved players, we moved the ball, we circulated the ball."
Mourinho has twice been overlooked for the manager of the month award this season, despite Chelsea's strong start.
On Friday he said he did not want the honour as the recipient often loses the next game.
When told Ronald Koeman's Southampton had beaten Sunderland emphatically, Mourinho said: "Eight-nil! I want the next award."
Mourinho's first priority is Tuesday's European meeting with Maribor.
"We need the three points," said Mourinho, whose side drew 1-1 at home to Schalke and won 1-0 at Sporting Lisbon.
"I'm going to play with the strongest possible team."
Mourinho avoided the controversy of recent weeks, when he was pushed by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and his offer of a handshake prior to the final whistle was refused by Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert and his assistant Roy Keane.
Palace boss Neil Warnock joked with Mourinho prior to the match.
"I spoke to him before and said, 'Don't shake my hand before the end of the game -- I don't want to be in the papers'," Warnock said.
The managerial pair watched Saturday's early kick off between Manchester City and Tottenham together in Warnock's office before their teams took each other on.
Warnock was frustrated by referee Craig Pawson's performance in a match which saw Cesar Azpilicueta and Damien Delaney sent off before half-time, and could yet face Football Association sanctions for his comments.
Warnock felt John Terry, making his 500th appearance as Chelsea captain, should have been booked for a tackle on Campbell and that Fabregas was fortunate to get only a yellow card for tussling with the Palace striker after Azpilicueta's dismissal.
Delaney was also harshly dismissed, according to the Palace boss.
"On another day another referee would have taken action against Fabregas and against Terry," Warnock said.
"And he [Delaney] got the ball for the free-kick for the goal. He [Pawson] booked him for the tackle.
"I think he's a good referee, he's just had a bad day at the office. Well half a bad day -- second half anyone could have refereed it for half-an-hour, it was like a testimonial after the second goal."
Scott Dann (knee) could return soon, while midfielder James McArthur's hip problem will be assessed.
Warnock added: "We've got two more important games than Chelsea. We have to get points out of West Brom and Sunderland coming up."