Soccer: Two-goal Saha again proves his worth to Fulham

Fulham 2 Cheltenham 1

Fulham are said to have slapped a £15m price tag on their prized asset in a bid to stop potential suitors led by Manchester United luring their prized asset away from south west London.

And Fulham boss Chris Coleman after watching Saha fire his side into the fourth round , said: "It would be suicide to sell him".

The in-form French marksman took his tally for the season to 14 with a goal in each half the second arriving in injury time as Fulham clinched a dramatic victory at Loftus Road.

Saha's clinical display of finishing is sure to spark further transfer speculation, even though the Cottagers have slapped that £15m price tag on his head following an approach from Manchester United last month.

Coleman repeated that his prized asset will not be off-loaded in the January sales, although he suggested the situation could change come the end of the season.

The Welshman said: "If we sell Louis Saha at any price in January then I'm cutting my own throat.

"I'm under no illusions he may not be here next season. He's banging in goals left, right and centre so if a club does come in for him with a massive offer over the summer then he may be moving on. But we'd be committing suicide if we sold him right now."

Grant McCann gave Cheltenham a shock lead in the fifth minute when he rifled home from just outside the penalty area but Saha replied eight minutes later when he lobbed Steed Malbranque's cross over Robins keeper Shane Higgs.

Fulham went on to dominate the second half but the visitors' defence kept them at bay and just as a replay at Whaddon Road appeared certain, Saha pounced for his late winner by nodding in a Bobby Petta corner.

It was a less than convincing performance from the Barclaycard Premiership's fifth-placed team and Coleman was unhappy with what he had seen, declaring that Cheltenham could consider themselves unfortunate.

He continued: "We were lucky to come away with the win the only positive that we can take from today is the result. It was a poor performance from us. I feel sorry for Cheltenham and their manager John Ward.

"We're better than we showed today. But we have to give Cheltenham some credit. They made it very difficult for us and were hungrier.

"John Ward has done a good job there and I felt he deserved at least a replay."

Ward was delighted by a brave performance from his side and insisted Fulham's extra class proved telling especially up front where Saha was at his deadly best.

"I'm really disappointed with the result but pleased at the way we played. I said before the match that we had to take the game to Fulham."

FULHAM: Van der Sar, Djetou, Knight, Goma (Melville 45), Green, Legwinski, Malbranque, Sean Davis, Petta, Inamoto (Hayles 58), Saha.

CHELTENHAM: Higgs, Wilson, Michael Duff, Brough, Victory, Devaney, Finnigan, Forsyth, McCann, Spencer (Odejayi 84), Taylor.

Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire).