Xabi Alonso praised the "unity" of his Real Madrid team after a 2-1 LaLiga win at Alavés eased some of the pressure on the under-fire coach.
Kylian Mbappé put Madrid ahead in the first half at Mendizorroza and Carlos Vicente levelled for the hosts after the break, before Rodrygo scored a late winner, with Vinícius Júnior providing the assist.
The victory left Madrid four points behind rivals Barcelona at the top of the table, after a disappointing run of results including three league draws and a loss to Celta Vigo led club executives to discuss Alonso's future.
Alonso's relationship with Vinícius has been scrutinised since the star forward's angry reaction at being substituted in October's Clásico, but the pair hugged after the Brazil star was taken off late in the Alavés game.
We're all together, we're fighting together in the good moments and not so good moments," Alonso said in his postmatch news conference. "The team fought well. The start was very good, and we were able to go ahead again at the end. Unity is fundamental."
Madrid now have two more matches before the Christmas break, visiting Talavera de la Reina in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, before hosting Sevilla in LaLiga next weekend
"We're very focused on doing our thing," Alonso said. "We're together, preparing for a game every three days. The lads deserve a lot of credit for the win. We had a lot of absentees, [defender Victor] Valdepeñas had his debut.
"We're all together in this. We have the Copa on Wednesday and then Sevilla. There's a long way to go, but we have to be consistent in the good things we did today."
ESPN reported that Madrid's defeat to Celta Vigo on Dec. 7 -- which was followed by a 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the Champions League -- led Madrid's board to discuss alternatives to Alonso, with doubts over the coach's management of his squad.
"The game against Celta wasn't a good game, we lacked a lot of things," Alonso said on Sunday. "Today there were a lot of positives and some things to improve. To keep winning games, we need to be consistent."
Alonso added he believed Madrid should have been awarded a second-half penalty for a foul on Vinicius.
"It seemed a clear penalty to me," Alonso said. "I'm very surprised [the referee] didn't go to the VAR."
Rodrygo's first LaLiga goal since January saw a lacklustre Real Madrid side claim a 2-1 win at Alavés, but the performance was unlikely to lift the pressure on head coach Xabi Alonso.
Kylian Mbappé put Madrid in front in the 24th minute, but they struggled to control the game before Carlos Vicente levelled in the 68th minute.
On Wednesday night Rodrygo had gone to Alonso to celebrate his goal in the 2-1 Champions League loss to Manchester City in what he called a show of solidarity, and in the 76th minute here he came to his boss's aid once more with the winning goal.
Reports in Spain before kickoff had claimed anything short of three points would be the final straw for Alonso, but the manner in which they laboured to a win over a side only three points clear of the relegation zone will leave question marks.
Mbappé was back in the side after missing the loss to City through injury and the France star appeared to be struggling again in the very early stages as he complained of knee pain.
Even so, he was well enough to go close twice in the opening 10 minutes, first with a shot that went narrowly wide and then another just over the crossbar.
Rodrygo then squandered another chance as he pulled a shot wide in the 12th minute, but Madrid could not sustain that level of pressure as their initial onslaught tailed off.
They suddenly burst back into life to take a 24th-minute lead and it was perhaps inevitable that it would be Mbappé with his 70th Madrid goal. Rodrygo stole possession and fed Jude Bellingham, with the England midfielder teeing up Mbappé to do the rest.
The visitors thought they had a second moments later, but Bellingham had handled in controlling a corner before turning it in.
It remained unconvincing and the first half ended with Thibaut Courtois making an unorthodox save to deny Pablo Ibáñez, caught square in the face by his shot.
Madrid threatened to double their score early in the second half when Antonio Sivera made a double save, first denying Mbappé and then ensuring Vinícius Júnior could not capitalise on the rebound.
Again there was no sustained pressure from Madrid and Alavés were level in the 69th minute when Vicente used some excellent skill to control a through ball before beating Courtois, with the goal surviving a check for offside.
