This was the sort of win that can turn a season. For a long time, it looked like Fulham were going to meekly surrender to already-relegated Southampton and fall to a third straight league defeat – rendering any European hopes ridiculous. Good sides find a way to win and the Whites did here, largely due to Marco Silva’s substitutions and the contributions of some much-maligned figures. Here are my player ratings from St. Mary’s:

BERND LENO: The German goalkeeper had a busier afternoon that he might have expected – given Southampton’s relegation and the importance of this game for Silva’s side. He had no chance with Jack Stephens’ flicked header but made crucial saves from Kamaldeen Sulemana and Kyle Walker-Peters either side of half-time to keep Fulham into the contest. He kept faith with the methodical build up from the back approach rather than launching it long, even deep into stoppage time, which paid dividends with a vital three points. 7

KENNY TETE: Rumours suggest that our dependable Dutch right-back has turned down a contract extension and will be plying his trade in new pastures next season. This performance showed just why Fulham will really miss him if that is the case. Tete initially struggled to match the pace of Sulemana down the left, but conclusively won his battle in the second half and got forward to good effect as Silva’s side turned the tide. Considering he is still seeking match sharpness, this was a commendable display. 7

RYAN SESSEGNON: We have to be running out of superlatives for the talent Tottenham treated terribly. Deputising for Antonee Robinson at left back, Sessegnon was full of running from the outset despite being up against the quality of Sulemana and the magnificent Matias Fernandez. He linked well with the wily Willian and came into his own when he was pushed forward as the Whites searched for a winner. Sessegnon might be the man with the finest finishing instincts at the club – as proven by his presence of mind to stoop and guide his late header into the one place where an inspired Aaron Ramsdale wasn’t getting it. 9

JOACHIM ANDERSEN: An important – if understated – performance from the Danish centre half, who has come in for plenty of criticism over the past week. Andersen almost scored with a glancing header that was scrambled from beneath his own bar by Ryan Manning, but his diligent defending proved pivotal in earning the Whites a precious three points. He won the aerial battle with Ross Stewart and kept it simple in possession, allowing his team-mates to probe persistently at the other end. 7

CALVIN BASSEY: Bassey has to be disappointed with the way Stephens sauntered so simply between Sander Berge and himself to open the scoring, but he recovered well to be a consistent distributor of the ball as Silva’s side sought to turn their dominance into goals in the second half. The Nigerian international was beaten a little too easily by Saints substitute Cameron Archer as the forward’s cross shot came back off the near post, but he also used his physicality well to progress the ball up the pitch. 6

SANDER BERGE: The Norwegian international was hooked at half-time having put in one of his poorest performances of the season. Berge was far too passive in protecting the near post for the Saints goal and looked a little lost without Sasa Lukic alongside him. He provided neither the ballast required with the Serbian sitting on the bench or the creativity required once Fulham had gone a goal down and there was no doubting this weekend that Silva’s substitutions changed the game for the better. 5

ANDREAS PEREIRA: For a player with so much natural ability, Pereira continues to perplex. His set-piece delivery seems to have flat-lined and he continually took the wrong option with the ball in the final third. It wasn’t a surprise to see him sacrificed at the start of the second period, especially after he took an age to react to a good chance at the far post when Southampton were containing Fulham’s patient, possession-based play quite easily. 5

HARRY WILSON: Great to see the Welsh wizard starting for the first time in three months. Nobody could pretend that this was his finest outing and he remains well short of a gallop, but Wilson’s energy and invention – coupled with Tete’s desire to get forward – make Fulham far stronger down the right. He didn’t have a glimpse of goal but worked exceptionally hard and will be better for the minutes in his legs. Harry could yet a key role to play in the push for Europe. 6

WILLIAN: A curious afternoon for the Brazilian yesterday. He looked like Fulham’s most likely source of a goal in the first half – and it could have been a much easier afternoon had his curler crept inside Ramsdale’s far post rather than drift agonisingly wide. The wily winger might be well into the winter of his career but he rattled the base of the post having been picked out by Traore early in the second half. Southampton took the aggressive approach to countering him: with the Kyle Walker-Peters chance only resulting from a clear foul that Tony Harrington ignored. The official then completely missed Flynn Downes’ agricultural attempt at a tackle as Willian lined up a shot on the edge of the box, which left the veteran crumbled in a heap on a floor and soon to limp off. 7

ALEX IWOBI: The Nigerian international has blown hot and cold over the past month and this game was a microcosm of that. He looked up for the battle but was criminally wasteful when he got in good positions: the prime example came when he sprinted nearly seventy yards with the ball only to balloon a cross way over Jimenez and the other purple shirts flooding the box. There was no lack of endeavour or attempt to change the game – and it was no surprise when a cleverly chipped pass for his former Hale End mate Emile Smith Rowe created the equaliser. He came off at the death for Carlos Vinicius; arguably another Silva switch that changed the game. 7

RAUL JIMENEZ: Jimenez was just as involved as last Sunday against Chelsea, but this time he spurned some seriously good chances. There was a slash at a shot from a corner where he should have done better before the Mexican international blazed high over the bar from the corner of the area. That one had him looking to the skies, as did the way he planted a header straight at Ramsdale from point blank range after Smith Rowe had drawn Fulham level. He worked his socks off and the news that he wants to stay at the Cottage couldn’t be a bigger boost if the Whites are going to lose others who are out of contract. 6

SUBSTITUTES:

ADAMA TRAORE: The Spanish winger made a massive difference off the bench here, providing a direct challenge to former QPR man Ryan Manning, who appears to have transitioned from a creative midfielder to a left wing-back since his days at Loftus Road. Traore was direct and deft, driving deep into Southampton territory regularly. He failed to hit the target with one shot, but saved his most telling contribution until last with a lovely lifted cross from Tom Cairney’s cute ball giving Sessegnon the chance to be the stoppage-time hero. 8

SASA LUKIC: We look so much better with the Serbian in the middle of the pitch. It was understandable that he started on the bench after the clattering he took from Marc Cucurella amongst others last Sunday, but he provided the intelligence in the engine room that Pereira lacked. There was one tenacious tackle on Fernandes that typified his no-nonsense contribution, which was crucial in driving Fulham forward as they sought to stage a stirring fightback. 7

EMILE SMITH ROWE: I’ve been very much in the pro-Smith Rowe camp since he signed, but it is rather ridiculous that the ex-Arsenal academy graduate is being discussed as one of the club’s poorest ever signings having not completed a full campaign. The England international has hardly played in the same position this term and suffered the same injury niggles that have dogged him since he shone so brightly in the Premier League for the Gunners. There’s no doubt that he totally transformed this game. The terrific touch to cushion Iwobi’s through ball more than merited the slice of luck that followed – and you sensed Smith Rowe needed that goal. He’s another creative hub who could prove crucial in the run-in. 8

TOM CAIRNEY: The captain replaced Iwobi with four minutes of normal time left. Castigated for his inability to prevent Fulham folding in the derby last Sunday, he played a key role here – getting on the ball and slipping a sweet pass into the feet of Traore, leaving the winger able to serve Sessegnon without needing to think about beating Manning. Form is temporary, but Cairney’s class endures. 7

CARLOS VINICIUS: The Brazilian will always be a cult hero for scoring the winner against the sanctioned side in SW6 a couple of years ago. He doesn’t need to do anything else for me, but Silva’s decision to pair him with Jimenez was vindicated by the fact that the Saints struggled to pick up both of them in the closing stages. The achilles injury to Muniz couldn’t have come at a worse time – so Vini might need to prepare for a few more cameos in the coming weeks. 6