Fulham Boss Risks FA Punishment After Manchester United Criticism
Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has criticised the refereeing decisions during his side’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on Sunday, potentially putting himself at risk of disciplinary action from the Football Association.
The two teams met at Craven Cottage, where Fulham initially took the lead after the break through an own goal from Lisandro Martinez. Manchester United eventually rescued a point through Matheus Cunha, but Arbeloa was particularly frustrated by an incident that occurred shortly before the equaliser.
The Spanish coach was unhappy with the decision to award United a free-kick just 35 seconds before Cunha found the net. Arbeloa believed Harry Maguire had committed a foul in the build-up and questioned why the decision had gone in United’s favour.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the former Real Madrid Castilla manager expressed his frustration with what he considered a series of decisions that benefited the visitors.
“There were a lot of decisions that went in their favour, and you can see the foul involving Harry Maguire. Every decision seemed to go their way,” Arbeloa said.
“I know that after the match against Manchester City, they didn’t want United to lose.”
Arbeloa’s comments could now attract the attention of the FA because of the implications of suggesting that refereeing decisions were influenced in favour of Manchester United.
Under the FA’s regulations, managers and other participants are prohibited from making comments that imply bias or bring the integrity of a match into question when speaking to the media. Arbeloa’s reference to United’s controversial defeat against Manchester City the previous week could further increase the scrutiny surrounding his remarks.
The former Spain international appeared to be linking the officiating at Craven Cottage with the criticism that followed United’s previous fixture. Refereeing decisions had also been a major talking point following their defeat to City.
The FA regularly takes disciplinary action over comments directed at match officials or the integrity of competitions. Potential sanctions can include a financial penalty or a touchline ban, depending on the nature and severity of any charge and the outcome of the disciplinary process.
For now, Arbeloa has not been confirmed as facing any formal punishment. However, his post-match comments could leave the Fulham manager waiting to discover whether the FA considers his remarks to have breached its regulations.
