ROSEY PARKER
Isolating Fulham boss bags vital point as Walcott ‘winner’ ruled out
SCOTT PARKER saw Fulham grab an important point – with plenty of help from Stuart Gray and VAR.
The Cottagers manager had to suffer the agonies of watching this match selfisolating from home after a family member tested positive for coronavirus.
Assistant Gray was in charge at the ground, and the pair combined to do a good tactical job of sti f ling Southampton and securing a fourth straight draw.
But neither Gray nor Parker could influence events when Theo Walcott put the ball in the net after 85 minutes.
And it was left to VAR official Jon Moss and then referee Darren England to rule it out and deny the visitors a win they barely deserved.
Gray said: “We did a meeting with the players and the gaffer through the computer before and at half-time – and the bench were in contact during the games about subs and changes.
“Hopefully the manager will be able to return to the set-up on Monday if another test is passed.
“We are disappointed with the point after getting into some good areas, the final ball wasn’t always there – but you could see they were pleased with a draw. For us that is now four games unbeaten in the Premier League which is not easy to do.
“It shows after the start to our season we are moving in the right direction.
“We were playing against a very good side in Southampton, and had worked all week on their strengths.”
The draw equalled some club history for Saints, making it seven top-flight games unbeaten away from home. But the visitors would have rather marched to that milestone rather than limp to it as they did yesterday in one of the team’s less impressive away days.
Saints also had four important players out in
Danny Ings, Jannik Vestergaard, Nathan Redmond and the banned Oriol Romeu.
Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “We obviously had two close calls with the Shane Long one disallowed and then the Theo Walcott one for offside.
“But I can live with a point. We had four players out and they are key players – I think the oldest player on the bench was 22. So in those circumstances we can be happy.
“Jannik Vestergaard will be out for about a month and Danny Ings has a hamstring, is yet to return to training and will miss a few games.”
Fulham had Joachim Andersen in the side after his controversial red card last time out against Newcastle was rescinded.
On an icy-cold afternoon the wind whistled in through the part- completed new Riverside Stand from the Thames.
And Fulham warmed up more quickly, with Antonee Robinson and Ademola Lookman looking lively.
After a Lookman flick Fulham players appealed for a penalty for handball but following a VAR check the referee waved the claims away.
Saints were stuttering and Fulham should have taken the lead after 25 minutes. Ruben Loftus-Cheek sent a great ball over and Lookman teed up Andre- Frank Anguissa – but the Cameroon midfielder completely missed his kick.
And almost immediately Saints went down the other end and won what all teams now dread conceding – a freekick in James Ward-Prowse territory.
From around 25 yards the set-piece maestro curled a superb effort that Alphonse Areola brilliantly tipped on to the angle – and Che Adams failed to convert the rebound as the ball spun past him.
After the interval Robinson picked out Ivan Cavaleiro – only for the striker to head over from just six yards out.
Slowly the chances, or at least more goalmouth action, were coming along.
Long saw one rising drive tipped over by Areola, and at the other end Lookman’s curled effort was deflected behind off Jan Bednarek.
There was a real scare for Fulham after 70 minutes when Ryan Bertrand smashed a cross straight at defender Ola Aina’s arm.
There was a long VAR check by Moss for a possible handball but in the end no penalty was awarded.
Long did have the ball in the net with a neat finish but had strayed offside.
And in the 85th minute Saints again had the ball in the net.
Walcott fired past Areola – but after a VAR check supplier Adams was also ruled offside.
Some strong running, but he can lack the ability to bring in others
Mitrovic (Decordova-Reid 83); Kebano (Lookman 90)