Arbeloa accuses referees of favouring Manchester United against Fulham

Alvaro Arbeloa has expressed his frustration with the officiating during Fulham's recent match against Manchester United, suggesting that referees were biased in favour of United. Arbeloa's comments followed a controversial late equaliser from United, which came after a free-kick was awarded for a foul on Harry Maguire. He felt the decision was unjust and indicated that the officials were influenced by the previous week's decisions in the Manchester derby.

The Fulham head coach claimed that every foul seemed to go United's way, particularly pointing to the soft nature of the free-kick awarded to them. Arbeloa suggested that the referees were keen to ensure Manchester United did not lose the match, implying that they were compensating for perceived injustices from the previous week. He felt his team deserved more from the game, having come close to securing a win.

In a subsequent press conference, Arbeloa moderated his remarks slightly, stating he preferred to focus on his team's performance rather than the referees. He acknowledged that his English might have led to misunderstandings and opted to concentrate on improving his squad. Despite this, he remained dissatisfied with the officiating, indicating that such frustrations are part of the game.

The match also featured a contentious moment when Fulham's Calvin Bassey was accused of handball just before United's equaliser. VAR reviewed the incident but upheld the assistant referee's decision, which stated that Bassey's arm was close to his body at the time of contact. This decision added to the confusion surrounding officiating standards, with commentators noting the inconsistency in handball rulings across different matches.

via Sky Sports