Referees 'don't like Man Utd to lose', says Fulham boss Arbeloa after draw

Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa said Premier League referees "don't like Manchester United to lose" after his team were denied their first win of the Premier League season in a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

A late, deflected strike from Matheus Cunha salvaged a point for Michael Carrick's men at Craven Cottage, after Lisandro Martinez's own goal had put Fulham in front.

And while there were plenty of positives to take for a Fulham side that tested Senne Lammens on several occasions, they remain winless after five games of 2026-27, with only Tottenham below them in the table on goal difference.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Arbeloa drew attention to a free-kick referee Peter Bankes awarded to United shortly before the equaliser, suggesting there was a desire for the officials to make up for Erling Haaland's contentious derby winner against the Red Devils one week earlier. 

"We were so close. So, so close. We were a little bit unlucky again. We knew it would be difficult against this big team," Arbeloa said.

"Also, we knew what happened last week. We saw what the referee was doing in the match, so it was a difficult game. And we were unlucky.

"There were so many things for them; you can see it in the foul on Maguire. Every decision was for them. I knew after the game against Manchester City that they don't like Manchester United to lose.

"We were so, so close to our first victory, and we are a little bit upset now."

This is the fourth time Fulham have opened a top-flight campaign by failing to win any of their first five games, after 1951-52, 2011-12 and 2020-21.

They were relegated on two of the previous three occasions (in 1951-52 and 2020-21), and a run of three straight meetings with newly promoted clubs – Ipswich Town, Hull City and Coventry City – awaits them after the international break.

"I think we did a good game. Obviously, it was not an easy game for us; we were in the bottom position, but we saw personality with the ball; we were brave," Arbeloa continued. 

"We had moments where we had to defend, but in general, we did a good game. We wanted to control the transition and the counter-attacks. 

"We know they put many people inside, so we had to control the space behind our midfielders. They sometimes found those spaces. It was a difficult match against a big team and, for me, they will be near the top of the league by the end of the season.

"Now we have to find the first victory. If you see our first five games, we have already played Man Utd, Chelsea, at Anfield, at Sunderland. 

"We have October, which will be so important for us. We have shown the team we want to be, and if we play in this way, the victories will come."