Arbeloa hopes Fulham will respond positively to the upcoming derby match against Crystal Palace.

A London derby will take place in the third round of the 2026/27 Premier League season, with Fulham hosting Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage. Arbeloa has stated that he hopes his team can respond positively in this crucial match.

In the last league match, Fulham held on until the second half but conceded a goal and ultimately lost 0-1 to Sunderland, suffering their second consecutive defeat.

As for Crystal Palace, managed by Pierre Sager, the "Eagles" suffered two defeats in the last round of the Premier League, losing 1-4 to Manchester City.

Fulham manager Arbeloa said, "It's really important to respond positively because we're playing at home and our opponents, like us, haven't scored any points in their first two games. I think it's too early to talk about that now, but points are always important. It's another London derby, so it's very important for us to show the team we want to be."

“For Crystal Palace, Pierre Sager is also a new manager. This season is still very long, and I understand that the fans won’t be very patient because they want to see points. It’s not just about how well we play; they want points. Ultimately, that’s the most important thing.”

Arbeloa stated, "But I think Pierre Sager is an excellent coach with a very clear tactical philosophy. You can see their tactics and the way they play in the game. We played against them in preseason and they beat us, so we know each other very well."

“Crystal Palace created a lot of good attacks and chances against Manchester City. Although they lost, they created a lot of good scoring opportunities. The same was true against Everton; I think they played very well. I don’t know if they deserved to lose that game, but it will be a very tough match for us.”

In addition, Arbeloa said, "We are delighted to have three new players join us. They are all talented players who will provide a lot of help to the team throughout the season. Hugo Larsson and Manuel Angel are both number 8 players, which is exactly the type of player we need in that position. We also have players who can play in that position, such as Iwobi or Smith Rowe, but they are more versatile players who can adapt to that position."

“I am also very familiar with David Affingruber’s performance in La Liga. He is a strong, fast and technically gifted player with excellent game awareness. I think he will be a great help to us in the center-back position.”

Image source: Internet