Saha raises spirits at Fulham

CHRISTIAN DAMIANO hopes Louis Saha will be the “joker” who saves Fulham’s Premiership season after he helped the Cottagers conquer Birmingham and clinch their place in today’s FA Cup fourth-round draw.

The 27-year-old French striker, out since September with a hamstring problem, returned a fortnight ahead of schedule to score the goal of the game in yesterday's 3-1 stroll against the disjointed Blues at Loftus Road.

Saha's 46th-minute strike, spinning Birmingham captain Jeff Kenna and firing past a stationary Nico Vaesen, demonstrated the cutting edge so badly lacking from Fulham's armoury for much of November and December.