Simon Rusk acknowledged his Southampton players were “gutted” after they missed a golden opportunity to move beyond Derby’s record-low Premier League points total but backed them to bounce back from a stoppage-time loss to Fulham.
Jack Stephens’ 14th-minute opener had already-relegated Saints on course for a first home league victory since November, but Emile Smith Rowe levelled for Fulham after 72 minutes to set up a nervy finale at St Mary’s.
