Fulham missed out on the chance to move into the Premier League's top six after being held to a goalless draw by a Southampton side being watched in the Craven Cottage stands by new manager Ivan Juric.
Considering the south-coast side had collected just one point on their travels all season, Juric will have been delighted with the disciplined and composed display from his players against one of the top flight's in-form teams.
In fact, the visitors largely frustrated Fulham all afternoon, reducing Marco Silva's team to a few long-range efforts, although they were grateful to have Aaron Ramsdale - wearing a special glove after his recent finger injury - back in goal as the England international was forced into one world-class reaction stop to preserve a point for Saints.
That moment came midway through the second period when substitute Adama Traore picked out Harry Wilson at the far post, only for Ramsdale to somehow keep out his close-range volley.
Other than that, Southampton - with Simon Rusk again taking temporary charge - were largely untroubled, although despite the hard-fought point they will be bottom of the table at Christmas, while Fulham move above Brighton and into ninth place.