Juventus coach Max Allegri admitted relief after victory over Cagliari.
Juve won via headers from defensive pair Gleison Bremer and Daniele Rugani.
Allegri said: "It was important to win, as it would put us in a strong position in the table. It is never easy to win games, Cagliari are in excellent form.
“After going 2-0 up, we stopped moving the ball around quickly enough and then conceded a goal from a corner. We had to concede sooner or later, fortunately it was not a goal that influenced the result.
“I thought we struggled a bit for the first half-hour, but after that the legs were moving a bit faster. We should've scored earlier, but still remained compact and made the most of those set plays. We knew Cagliari were good in the air, so it would be difficult.
“We need to be more efficient, calmer in making the final ball, but the spirit is extraordinary. The squad know that they need that to bring home the victory.
“While at the start of the season we got a bit frustrated when not finding the net, now we remain solid and consistent."