Southampton moved up to fifth in the Championship table with a come-from-behind win that leaves Derby County in danger of missing out on the play-offs.

Carlton Morris ghosted in unchecked at the back post to guide home the opener for Derby after Joe Ward's corner was unwittingly directed into the forward's path by Southampton's Caspar Jander.

Leo Scienza levelled with a brilliantly curled effort just after the hour mark and Taylor Harwood-Bellis competed the turnaround with a powerful header from a pinpoint Ryan Manning free-kick.

Victory lifted Saints five points clear of seventh-placed Wrexham, who face Birmingham City on Sunday, while the Rams are a further point and place adrift of the Welsh side with four games remaining.

Derby also joined Wrexham and Premier League leaders Arsenal in being overpowered by Tonda Eckert's Saints in the past week.

It started with the second-tier side booking an FA Cup semi-final place by bundling Mikel Arteta's Gunners out of the competition and was followed up with a stunning 5-1 win against Hollywood-owned Wrexham just three days after.

While the Rams could call on Sam Szmodics for the first time since he was injured while in action for the Republic of Ireland last month, Derby were without a number of the influential figures.

On-loan Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz was unavailable to face his parent club, while United States striker Patrick Agyemang had his season ended by an Achilles injury days earlier and Derry Murkin dropped out of the side as a precaution because of muscle soreness.

Rams boss John Eustace had to shuffle his side further inside the first 10 minutes, with Bobby Clark forced off with a hamstring problem.

Still, Derby did more than match their in-form rivals in a first half of few chances.

After Southampton's Finn Azaz snatched at two opportunities in the box -the first he scuffed wide before going on to send an effort straight at Rams keeper Richard O'Donnell – Morris put the visitors ahead with a tap-in finish at the back post.

James Bree and Tom Fellows were off target early in the second half as Saints searched for a leveller, which finally came from Scienza just moments after Szmodics tested Daniel Peretz at the other end.

The winner from Harwood-Bellis followed seven minutes later to ensure Southampton made it 17 games unbeaten in all competitions with a victory that boosts their hopes of making an immediate Premier League return.

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert told BBC Radio Solent:

"It was our best game of the week, the boys were outstanding today. It was a top, top, top performance.

"Every game has its own story. We were clearly on top in the first half and then conceded off a corner, which can happen. Then to keep pushing and to have the energy and belief to come back was outstanding today.

"There is a reason we are so close to Derby in the table, they have picked up so many points lately.

"There are no easy games, and just because you have won some games in the past you have to keep going to earn it again and again, and the boys did that very well."

Derby County boss John Eustace told BBC Radio Derby:

"I thought first half we were excellent and in the second half we just ran out of legs. The second goal we conceded was so soft and it was really disappointing the manner we conceded from the free-kick.

"Southampton are obviously a top team with top players but with the way the boys performed today, I was very proud of the efforts. We just couldn't see it over the line.

"We need to keep doing what we have been doing in the final four games. I'm disappointed to lose the game today and we will talk about all the other stuff [injuries to Clark and Murkin] another day.

When asked if he feels it is possible for Derby to still reach the play-offs, he added: "Of course it is. Anything can happen in football. We will just keep going and do what we do.

"We lost the game to a soft goal, came to a top team with a top team and we have to really believe that we can see it through now."