On the banks of the Thames at Craven Cottage, Fulham’s wait for a first league win of the season continued after Manchester United struck in the 89th minute, and Álvaro Arbeloa left the ground with his anger directed as much at the officiating as at the late equaliser.
Key takeaways
- Fulham were on course to beat Manchester United before conceding an 89th-minute equaliser.
- Arbeloa said Harry Maguire committed an unpunished foul around 35 seconds before United scored.
- The Fulham coach argued that the referee’s decisions repeatedly favoured the visitors.
- He suggested that Manchester United receive unusual protection after watching their match against Manchester City.
- The comments could be examined by the Football Association and may lead to disciplinary action.
A late blow at Craven Cottage
Fulham had come close to ending their early-season search for three points against one of English football’s biggest travelling names. Instead, United’s goal in the final minute changed the mood around the compact west London stadium and denied Arbeloa’s side the result they had been building towards.
The Spanish coach, formerly in charge at Real Madrid, praised the resolve shown by his players against difficult opposition. Yet his post-match assessment quickly centred on the decisions made by the match official.
“We were extremely close,” Arbeloa said. “We were unlucky again, but we knew it would be hard against a great team. We also saw what the referee did during the game.”
His principal complaint concerned the build-up to United’s equaliser. Arbeloa believed Maguire should have been penalised for a foul shortly before the goal, estimating that the incident had occurred about 35 seconds earlier. In his view, it was not an isolated call but part of a pattern that went against Fulham.
“Everything went their way,” he said. “You only have to look at Maguire’s foul. Every decision benefited them.”
Arbeloa raises the temperature
The coach went further when asked about the wider context of Manchester United’s treatment by officials. Referring to United’s previous meeting with Manchester City, Arbeloa said he had drawn a stark conclusion.
“After the Manchester City game, I realised they do not like Manchester United losing,” he said.
Those remarks may now bring scrutiny from the Football Association, with the possibility of a sanction if the governing body decides the comments breach its rules on criticism of match officials.
For Fulham, however, the immediate frustration is sporting. A performance Arbeloa felt was full of character against major opposition again produced no victory, leaving the club to regroup after another late twist in a season that has yet to deliver its first three-point afternoon.
