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Arbeloa hit with FA charge as Fulham sit in relegation zone after Man Utd draw

📅 October 1, 2026 · By Liberia Sports Live · AI-assisted match report · 👁 5

FA charges Arbeloa over explosive referee rant

Fulham manager Álvaro Arbeloa is in serious trouble with English football's governing body after being formally charged with misconduct by the Football Association. The charge, confirmed on Wednesday 30 September, stems from fiery remarks he made after Fulham's 1-1 Premier League draw with Manchester United on 20 September at Craven Cottage. Arbeloa accused the officials of effectively refusing to allow United to lose, claiming that every refereeing decision on the night went in the visitors' favour. He was particularly furious about a free kick awarded to United just 35 seconds before Matheus Cunha's deflected 89th-minute equaliser cancelled out what had been a Lisandro Martinez own goal for Fulham. The FA alleges that his remarks implied bias and questioned the integrity of match official Michael Oliver. Arbeloa was given until Thursday 1 October — today — to respond to the charge, and no final punishment has yet been handed down.

Match recap: So close, yet so far

Fulham had been minutes away from recording their first Premier League win of the new 2026/27 season when United snatched a point late on through Cunha's fortunate effort. The Cottagers took the lead through a bizarre own goal by United's Lisandro Martinez before César Palacios briefly restored Fulham's advantage after United had pulled level — but in the end the Craven Cottage faithful were left empty-handed. The result left Fulham without a single league win from their opening five matches, sitting in 19th place in the Premier League table with just two points to their name.

Injury concerns remain

Arbeloa was already managing his squad carefully going into the Man United fixture, with both veteran midfielder Tom Cairney and right-back Kenny Tete ruled out for that matchday. The knock-on effects of those absences continue to be felt as the Cottagers prepare for a trip to Ipswich Town on Saturday 10 October. Left-back Antonee Robinson, who was the Premier League's top-assisting defender last season, has also been battling a difficult run of injuries this campaign that has disrupted the team's defensive shape.

Pressure mounts on new boss

Former Real Madrid defender Arbeloa, who took the Craven Cottage hotseat this summer, is under growing pressure after the club's poor start. Three consecutive league defeats — including losses to Chelsea and Crystal Palace where the defending was described as dismal — preceded the draw with United. Captain Josh King has publicly moved to damp down reports of unrest within the dressing room, insisting the squad remains united behind the manager.

Transfer talk

(The following are rumours and have not been confirmed by the club.) Fulham are reportedly hoping to revive their summer pursuit of AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori in the January window, according to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport. The England international was close to joining in the summer but Milan blocked the move on deadline day after a defensive injury crisis. With Tomori still not featuring this season and his contract expiring next summer, Milan are said to be open to letting him go in January at a reduced price. Separately, Swedish winger Roony Bardghji of Barcelona has been linked with several Premier League clubs including Fulham, while reports also suggest Bayern Munich could target Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno as backup cover if their veteran keepers retire. Additionally, Southampton midfielder Shea Charles has been mentioned as a possible January target for both Crystal Palace and Fulham, with the Northern Ireland international having been the subject of failed bids from Leeds United.

Sources

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