Fulham coach accuses referee of not wanting Man Utd to lose

Coach Alvaro Arbeloa believes Fulham suffered numerous unfavorable refereeing decisions in their 1-1 draw against Man Utd on matchday 5 of the Premier League.

At Craven Cottage on 20/9, Fulham started strongly and took the lead through an own goal by Lisandro Martinez. However, in the 89th minute, Man Utd equalized when Matheus Cunha's shot from outside the box deflected off defender David Affengruber.

Immediately after the match, Arbeloa expressed anger, claiming Fulham were disadvantaged by Man Utd's equalizer. Just 35 seconds before Cunha scored, referee Michael Oliver ruled that Cesar Palacios fouled Harry Maguire, awarding Man Utd a free kick in midfield.

Alvaro Arbeloa (right) shakes hands with Michael Carrick after Fulham's 1-1 draw with Man Utd on matchday 5 of the Premier League at Craven Cottage, London, England on 20/9/2026. Photo: Reuters

Alvaro Arbeloa (right) shakes hands with Michael Carrick after Fulham's 1-1 draw with Man Utd on matchday 5 of the Premier League at Craven Cottage, London, England on 20/9/2026. Photo: Reuters

According to Arbeloa, this was a light collision, not worthy of a foul. He accused the referee of "calling every foul for Man Utd" as compensation for the Manchester derby. Last week, Man Utd lost 0-1 to Man City at Old Trafford due to a goal from Erling Haaland. After that match, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) admitted the video assistant referee (VAR) team made an error by not checking for an offside position by another Man City player, Enzo Fernandez, in that incident.

"The referee continuously called fouls for Man Utd", Arbeloa told Sky Sports. "You could see right before they scored, the foul on Maguire. He weighs 100 kg. Every decision favored them. I knew after the Man City game, they wouldn't let Man Utd lose here. We were so close to winning and deserved more".

The collision between Cesar Palacios and Harry Maguire. Photo: Sky Sports

The collision between Cesar Palacios and Harry Maguire. Photo: Sky Sports

However, by the post-match press conference, Arbeloa's tone had softened, and he appeared to clarify his earlier statements. Fulham's head coach suggested that his limited English might have led to imprecise expressions, and he proactively closed the discussion on refereeing. "My English is not very good. Perhaps I did not express myself correctly", he said.

The Spanish coach acknowledged the need to remain calm and focus on Fulham's performance, rather than continuing to debate refereeing decisions. Nevertheless, Arbeloa admitted dissatisfaction with the result. He stated that he needed to concentrate on areas where Fulham must improve, rather than allowing the disappointment of the draw to affect the team.

When questioned again about the free kick awarded to Man Utd, Arbeloa also softened his stance, acknowledging that Maguire "is a very big player" and that the collision might not have warranted a foul. "But it's okay. I want to focus on analyzing the match, the players, and the tactical system. That is the best way to aim for victory", he said.

Analyzing the foul on Maguire by Palacios during the Super Sunday program, former Man Utd defender Ashley Young asserted that the referee's decision was correct. "That was definitely a foul. Palacios was not looking at the ball but ran straight into Maguire's back", Young told Sky Sports. "I know Arbeloa said Maguire weighs 100 kg, but he is very cunning, waiting for the opponent to foul".

Former Fulham and Man Utd forward Louis Saha agreed with this perspective. "It might have been a light collision, but sometimes a player's experience comes into play. They know how to use their body at the right moment", he said. "In that position, Maguire felt he couldn't control the ball, so he handled it very cleverly".

Another controversial incident occurred just before Man Utd's equalizer, when Lisandro Martinez's pass struck Calvin Bassey's hand inside the penalty area. The video assistant referee (VAR) reviewed it but did not overturn the on-field decision, concluding that the Fulham defender's arm was close to his body. Gary Neville and Louis Saha both considered this a difficult situation to officiate, as the ball indeed touched Bassey's hand, but his arm was not in an unnatural position.