Ross Stewart’s late penalty was the winner on the afternoon, and Saints were good value for the victory, leaving Fulham with no complaints about their elimination.
Here’s how we rated every Southampton player’s performance at Craven Cottage…
Southampton’s Finn Azaz applauds fans after knocking Fulham out of FA Cup. (Image: John Walton/PA)
Daniel Peretz – 9.
A fantastic performance from Southampton’s goalkeeper, who took the sting out of many dangerous moments. A late save with his face was his best moment in what could be remembered as an iconic performance.
James Bree – 8.
Solid, dependable and quickly becoming the most consistent player at the club. Kept Samuel Chukwueze really quiet and made 12 clearances.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis – 9.
A true captain’s performance for the man handed the armband at Craven Cottage. Roared after every block and tackle inside the box, and there was plenty of them. Didn’t put a foot wrong.
Nathan Wood – 7.
Enjoyed an interesting battle with Rodrigo Muniz, and while he didn’t win every duel, he limited the Brazilian. Did not shine as bright as his partner, who was man of the match, in fairness.
Ryan Manning – 7.
Rounding out a very good defensive performance, the Irishman did well, although Oscar Bobb got the run on him a few times. Saints ultimately would not have won without his defensive interventions.
Flynn Downes – 8.
We have been singing his praises for a few weeks, and he deserves credit for his resurgence. Seemed to pop up whenever Saints needed him, and was very unlucky with the booking he received.
Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz attempts an overhead kick with Flynn Downes near him. (Image: John Walton/PA)
Caspar Jander – 6.
Limited in possession, which tends to be where we see him at his best, but did take the ball under pressure at times. Stats say he lost all of his duels before being subbed off at 72 minutes.
Tom Fellows – 6.
The first Saints goal still eludes him. Sent a tame effort at the keeper when teed up for a good chance. Didn’t get much out of his marker and seemed to run into players rather than through them.
Southampton’s Tom Fellows (left) and Fulham’s Ryan Sessegnon battle for the ball (Image: John Walton/PA)
Finn Azaz – 8.
This was the version of Azaz we would like to see every week. Won the penalty, and was only denied a goal of his own by a top-notch save from Benjamin Lecomte. Did his fair share of defending, too.
Leo Scienza – 7.
Very nearly scored a highlight reel goal but dragged the effort wide before snatching at a volley minutes later. Did not click for him in the final third, despite being dangerous in the buildup.
Cyle Larin – 6.
Did some really good stuff when holding the ball up but wasn’t quite a big enough box threat. Sent a poor ball across to Scienza in the first half. Add a little more end product and he can be a cracking player for the run-in.
Southampton’s Cyle Larin is still waiting for his first away goal. (Image: John Walton/PA)
Substitutes
Cam Bragg – 6.
Came on for Jander and tried to play forward. His first test against Premier League opponents – he did alright without catching the eye.
Ross Stewart – 8.
Similarly to Larin, he was not much of a goal threat until he stepped up and smacked his penalty into the net. Made a good pass into Azaz, allowing the Irish international to win the penalty.
Southampton’s Ross Stewart celebrates after beating Fulham in FA Cup. (Image: John Walton/PA)
Kuryu Matsuki – N/A
No rating as he did not play more than 20 minutes. Did excellently to win the ball back high up in the build-up to Saints winning the penalty.
Sam Edozie – N/A.
No rating here either, as he came on alongside Matsuki. Had a few rusty moments on the ball but ultimately contributed to a fantastic victory.