Fulham Coach Arbeloa Charged by FA for Referee Bias Claims

Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has been charged with misconduct by the FA for comments made during his post-match press conference following his team's 1-1 draw with Manchester United. The former Real Madrid defender is accused of making comments that imply bias and question the integrity of a match official.

Arbeloa suggested that officials were biased toward Manchester United at Craven Cottage on Sunday, implying their decisions were influenced by a previous match against Manchester City. He specifically referenced a late free-kick awarded to Manchester United for a foul on Harry Maguire, which led to Matheus Cunha's equalizer. Arbeloa questioned the validity of the foul, noting Maguire's size.

The FA statement confirmed that Arbeloa has until Thursday to respond to the charge. During his post-match interview with Sky Sports, Arbeloa stated, "every decision was for them" and that "after the game against Man City they [won't] let Manchester United lose here."

Further fueling Arbeloa's apparent frustration, Manchester United did not receive any bookings during the match, while Fulham players were shown three yellow cards for offenses. Fulham dropped two points due to the late equalizer, and Arbeloa felt his team "deserved more."