FA charges Fulham boss Arbeloa with misconduct over referee bias claims against Manchester United

Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association after alleging that match officials favoured Manchester United during the Premier League draw at Craven Cottage on Sunday 20 September.

Matheus Cunha’s 89th-minute equaliser earned Michael Carrick’s United a 1-1 draw, but it was Arbeloa’s post-match interview that drew the FA’s attention. The Spaniard suggested that every key decision had gone in United’s favour and implied the officiating was influenced by the previous week’s controversy — when Erling Haaland’s goal for Manchester City was allowed to stand despite Enzo Fernandez appearing to be in an offside position.

“All fouls for them,” Arbeloa said. “You can see before they scored, the foul against Maguire — he’s a guy who is 100 kilos. Every decision was for them. And I knew. I knew after the game against Man City that they would not let Manchester United lose here.”

The FA’s formal statement confirmed the nature of the charge: “It is alleged that the Fulham manager acted in an improper manner by making comments in a post-match interview that imply bias and/or question the integrity of a match official.”

Arbeloa has until Thursday 1 October to provide a response to the charge.

The case adds to a broader conversation about referee scrutiny in the Premier League this season, with the Haaland offside incident having already prompted widespread debate over the consistency of VAR decisions. Arbeloa’s comments went further than most, directly suggesting that institutional preference — rather than individual error — shaped the outcome at Craven Cottage.

Fulham, who felt they deserved more from the match, now face the prospect of their manager receiving a touchline ban or fine if the charge is upheld.