Fulham Stuck in 19th: Winless Start Heaps Pressure on Arbeloa
Difficult Start to the Season
It has been a tough beginning to the 2026-27 Premier League campaign for Fulham. The Cottagers are sitting at the bottom of the table — 19th place — with only two points collected from their opening five league games. Their results so far tell the story: a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on 30 August, a 2-3 home loss to Crystal Palace on 5 September, a goalless draw at Liverpool on 12 September, and a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Craven Cottage on 20 September. Their only win of the season came in the Carabao Cup, where they beat West Ham United 3-2 away on 15 September.
Man United Draw — So Close, Yet So Far
The most recent Premier League outing ended in frustration. Fulham took the lead through a Lisandro Martínez own goal in the 63rd minute, only to be denied all three points when Matheus Cunha equalised deep into added time in the 89th minute. Manager Álvaro Arbeloa expressed mixed emotions after the game — a feeling shared across the Craven Cottage faithful, who have watched their side work hard without reward in the league so far this term.
Injuries & Squad Concerns
Ahead of the Manchester United fixture, Arbeloa confirmed that veteran midfielder Tom Cairney was still on the sidelines with an ongoing knee injury. Wide player Tete was also ruled out after being struck by the ball during the goalless draw at Anfield. Ryan Sessegnon had been a concern after picking up a groin problem against Liverpool, though Arbeloa indicated the issue was not considered serious and that the club was being cautious with the left-back's recovery. Arbeloa said the club did not want to risk aggravating what he described as "a small problem in the groin." Fulham's next Premier League outing is away at Ipswich on 10 October, giving some players additional time to regain fitness during the international break.
Arbeloa Under the Spotlight
Reports suggest that if results do not improve before the end of the calendar year, the club could consider making a managerial change. Arbeloa, who was appointed to replace the departed Marco Silva ahead of this season, has repeatedly stressed that his side's performances have shown promise — the point at Anfield and an EFL Cup win at West Ham demonstrating the squad's capability. However, the lack of Premier League wins is becoming a serious concern for everyone connected with the club.
Transfer Talk
The summer transfer window has now closed, but it was a busy deadline period for Fulham. The club brought in centre-back David Affengruber from Elche for £8.5 million and central midfielder Manuel Ángel from Real Madrid for £3 million on 1 September, while right-back Marley Clarke joined on a free transfer from Watford. Swedish midfielder Hugo Larsson also arrived on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt for the season. On the way out, Canadian defender Luc de Fougerolles departed on loan to MLS side Real Salt Lake. With the window shut, no January transfer rumours have surfaced publicly yet for Fulham, though Arbeloa has previously made clear he believes the squad can be strengthened in any position and that he is always looking for players who fit his style of play.