Manager Russell Martin admitted Ryan Fraser has done everything possible to start for Southampton after his sensational performance in the 4-0 FA Cup home win over Walsall.
Fraser scored twice and set up another as Saints strolled into the fourth round and moved to a 19th game unbeaten in all competitions.
The Scotland international has been forced to wait for his chances after arriving on loan from Newcastle but with injuries to Kamaldeen Sulemana and Samuel Edozie, he got Martin’s attention at the right time.
Martin said: “He was really good, really brilliant. He has such an amazing attitude and is a good example for the young boys.
“He’s been great coming off the bench recently, now Sam Edozie’s got an injury so Ryan has put himself in the frame to play from the start.
“As long as he brings what he does all the time then he will be a big player of us.
“He maybe hasn’t started as many games as people may have thought or what he’d like but he’s been a huge player for us.
“He’s been frustrated but in the right way. We wouldn’t have signed him if he was a bad character. He is the Ryan I remember playing with.
“He’s a good guy who smiles a lot and knows everything about football, watches every game possible and is in such great shape.
“We had a chat and he understood his role, especially as the other guys have been brilliant. He said he’d do everything he could whilst in that role.
“Of course he wants to start games but now he’s accepted it and has shown what he can do when he’s come off the bench. Days like today will definitely help him.”
Fraser opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he cottoned onto Taylor Harwood-Bellis’ ball over the top.
Championship promotion hunters Saints had to wait until the second half to run riot as Fraser teed up Sekou Mara to swivel and finish.
Fraser then added his second with a sublime finish into the bottom corner before Che Adams showed his strength and finishing abilities to help Saints score four at home for the third time in their last four matches.
The Saddlers had three good chances of their own, with Tom Knowles twice going close and Isaac Hutchinson also forcing a save out of Joe Lumley.
Boss Mat Sadler said: “We were certainly in the game in the first 15 minutes of the second half.
“They are a fantastic team and I’m glad we don’t have to play them every week. We’ve seen Championship sides blown away by them so we were fully aware of the task at hand.
“I wanted my team to give a good account of themselves and they did. I wouldn’t have fancied a replay, though.
“We grew into the game and it was fantastic to see but we didn’t score when we needed to score.
“We had three really good chances and unfortunately we didn’t take any of those.
“We are such a united football club at the moment and that will be hugely powerful going into the next part of the season.
“We wanted to upset it and ideally we didn’t want to go behind so early in the game but the reaction to that was great.”