Arbeloa Faces Manchester United Without Tete

Fulham step back into the Premier League spotlight on Sunday with the mood lifted by a wild midweek win, but Alvaro Arbeloa will have to face Manchester United without one of his most trusted defenders.

Kenny Tete has been ruled out of the clash at Craven Cottage as he continues to follow concussion protocols, leaving Fulham short of natural cover at right-back.

The Dutchman suffered the issue when he was struck by the ball in the recent trip to Anfield, and Arbeloa made it clear there will be no risks taken with his return.

“Tete won’t be available,” the Fulham head coach said, as reported by Fulhamish, before outlining the timeline. It is a concussion, he explained, and the defender is “still not available” but expected to be ready after the upcoming international break. “Unfortunately, he’s not ready for a Sunday.”

The setback comes just as Fulham were beginning to build a little momentum. They edged West Ham United 3-2 in a dramatic EFL Cup tie in midweek, a result that injected some badly needed energy into Arbeloa’s early reign and set up Sunday as a chance to finally bank his first Premier League victory.

That ambition now has to be balanced with a thinning squad.

Tom Cairney remains on the recovery trail and is not yet certain to feature, while Ryan Sessegnon is also a doubt after missing the last two competitive games through injury. “Tom is still recovering… We need to see if Sess (Ryan Sessegnon) is available for Sunday,” Arbeloa said, leaving the door only slightly ajar for the winger’s involvement.

Tete’s absence, though, is the most significant from a tactical standpoint. For years he has been regarded as Fulham’s first-choice right-back, a steady presence in a position where reliability matters. His status has shifted under Arbeloa, who has leaned instead on Timothy Castagne in the early weeks of his tenure, but Tete’s shadow still looms large over that side of the pitch.

The summer nearly took the decision out of Arbeloa’s hands. Tete looked close to a move to Everton late in the transfer window, only for the deal to collapse when Fulham failed to secure a replacement. He stayed, but his role became more complicated: first-choice in theory, deputy in practice, and now unavailable altogether.

On Sunday, the immediate consequence is clear. Arbeloa will go into the game without a recognised right-back option on the bench. The starting plan, though, should remain intact. Castagne is expected to keep his place on the right of the back four, his consistency and versatility giving Arbeloa enough confidence to stick rather than twist on the eve of such a high-profile fixture.

On the opposite flank, Antonee Robinson will continue at left-back regardless of Sessegnon’s fitness. Even if the latter proves ready in time, his path back is likely to run through the bench, not straight into the XI.

So Fulham arrive at Sunday with belief from the cup, a manager still hunting his first league win, and a defence that knows it cannot afford an off day. United are coming, the lights will be bright at Craven Cottage, and Arbeloa must find that balance between caution over injuries and aggression in performance.

If this is to be the afternoon his Premier League campaign truly ignites, it will have to be done without Kenny Tete.