Ryan Sessegnon’s stoppage-time winner gave Fulham a come-from-behind 2-1 victory at already-relegated Southampton to boost their hopes of European qualification.
Sessegnon’s superb 92nd-minute header moved Fulham up to eighth, with the top eight likely to be enough to qualify for Europe unless Crystal Palace win the FA Cup.
But it was late heartbreak for bottom-side Southampton, who missed out on the point needed to surpass the lowest points total in Premier League history and remain on 11 points.
The managerless south-coast side, led by interim boss Simon Rusk, have four games remaining to overhaul Derby’s 11-point record set in 2007/08.
Player ratings:
Southampton: Ramsdale (7); Harwood-Bellis (6), Bednarek (6), Stephens (7); Walker-Peters (6), Downes (6), Ugochukwu (6), Manning (6); Fernandes (6), Sulemana (6); Stewart (5).
Subs: Archer (6), Dibling (6), Bree (n/a).
Fulham: Leno (6); Tete (7), Andersen (7), Bassey (7), Sessegnon (8); Berge (5), Pereira (5); Willian (7), Wilson (6), Iwobi (7); Jimenez (6).
Subs: Lukic (6), Traore (7), Smith Rowe (7), Cairney (n/a), Vinicius (n/a).
Player of the Match: Ryan Sessegnon.
A solid first-half display from Saints saw them take a 14th-minute lead through Jack Stephens’ header as Fulham failed to have a shot on target.
But Marco Silva’s second-half substitutes turned the game in Fulham’s favour as Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench to score a heavily deflected 72nd-minute equaliser.
Team news
- Southampton made one change from last weekend’s 1-1 draw at West Ham as Ross Stewart came in for the absent Paul Onuachu.
- Fulham were without injured captain Antonee Robinson as the visitors made two changes from last Sunday’s home defeat to Chelsea, as Willian and Harry Wilson came in for Robinson and the benched Sasa Lukic.
The Cottagers then pushed for a winner and eventually found one as half-time substitute Adama Traore put in a cross for Sessegnon to cleverly glance into the bottom corner.
Fulham have now scored three 90th-minute winners in the Premier League this season, the joint-most of any side (level with Brighton). Meanwhile, Southampton have conceded 11 goals after 90 minutes in the league this season – the joint-most by a side in a single campaign in the competition’s history alongside Burnley in 2018/19.
The late comeback win means Fulham are eighth on goal difference ahead of Brighton, but 10th-placed Bournemouth, who are two points behind the pair, have a game in hand against Manchester United on Sunday – live on Sky Sports.
Sunday 27th April 1:00pm Kick off 2:00pm 
Ex-Chelsea and Man Utd coach Ramsay on Southampton’s managerial shortlist
Exclusive from Sky Sports News’ Mark McAdam and Rob Dorsett:
Former Chelsea and Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay is on Southampton’s shortlist of possible candidates for their next head coach, Sky Sports News has been told.
Image: Former Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay is under consideration for Southampton’s vacant managerial position
Ramsay is currently in charge of Minnesota United in the MLS, having previously had various roles at Old Trafford under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ralph Rangnick and Erik Ten Hag, and as U23s coach at Chelsea.
Ramsay is among a number of candidates under consideration at Southampton, who are continuing a thorough and painstaking period of assessment. Saints will continue to take their time before confirming their next boss, and it’s thought they are not likely to make an appointment in the next week or so, knowing their next choice is key if they’re to ensure a return to the Premier League at the first attempt.
This will be the first time new group technical director Johannes Spors has been involved in the recruitment process, with his input key to the decision that Southampton make.
The Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl is another name under consideration at St Mary’s, although there is a sizeable compensation clause tying him to Hillsbrough, and Southampton would likely face competition for his signature from a number of other Championship clubs.
Silva: We deserved to win
Image: Ryan Sessegnon celebrates after scoring a late winner for Fulham at Southampton
Fulham boss Marco Silva speaking at his post-match press conference:
“From the first minute until the last, the reality is that we are the only team that tries to score goals or tries to play in an offensive way.
“In the second half, it was the same story again, one team trying to create chances to score, playing 90 per cent of the time in our offensive half.
“They sat back, they just tried to delay our goal or chances that you can create, and I think we did create enough to win the match.”
Rusk: We’re gutted we didn’t get point needed
Interim Southampton boss Simon Rusk speaking at his post-match press conference:
“We nearly got a really good result, so of course the lads are gutted, but as the week goes on we can’t be victims about it.
Image: Jack Stephens (left) put Saints ahead early on
“We’re going to have to use that and at the end of the day these are the things that drive you on. It felt great last week (at West Ham) and this week it hurts.
“One thing is for sure by the time we get to 3 o’clock next week, we will be ready to go again.
“I don’t think it will be hard to pick the players up. I think they are desperate to finish the season as well as they can.
“We are a relegated team but the focus is we want to finish the season strongly as a group of people pulling in one direction. We’re hoping we can give the supporters as many good moments as possible and as a group of players we can deliver as many points as possible.
“In the end it is cruel. For what we’re giving and pound-for-pound for what we’re playing against, I do think we deserved something out of the game.”
Story of the match in stats…
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