Fulham head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has urged his players to maintain their performance levels throughout the match as they seek their first Premier League victory of the season against Hull City on Saturday.
Fulham sit bottom of the table with two points from six matches, having recorded two draws and four defeats, leaving Arbeloa under increasing pressure ahead of the encounter at Craven Cottage.
The 43-year-old Spaniard is reportedly at risk of losing his job if his side suffer another defeat, but he insists his immediate concern is the club and its supporters rather than his own future.
According to BBC Sport on Friday, Arbeloa said: “It is not about me, it is about the club, the players and the supporters.
“It is not about my future. As I said before, it is about the club and my players.”
Fulham came close to recording their first league win of the campaign against Ipswich Town last weekend after Ryan Sessegnon put them ahead, only for two late goals to condemn them to another disappointing result.
They had also missed the opportunity to collect all three points against Manchester United before the international break, when Matheus Cunha scored a deflected late goal to deny them victory.
Arbeloa said his players were determined to repay the supporters for their continued backing.
“They are looking for the reward and looking for a game where they can get a win for the supporters; they deserve it because of their support,” he said.
Also Read:
“It is important for all of us.”
The former Liverpool defender joined Fulham in the summer on a three-year contract, replacing Marco Silva after a brief spell as Real Madrid’s interim head coach.
Although Fulham have struggled in the league, they have reached the last 16 of the Carabao Cup, where they are scheduled to face Crystal Palace at home this month.
Asked whether his players remained committed to his plans, Arbeloa pointed to their performances against Ipswich and Manchester United, as well as their goalless draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
He said: “They did for many minutes against Ipswich. We did against Manchester United, and we did against Liverpool.
“For me, we need to try to keep that level for 90 minutes; that is important.”
Arbeloa also praised the players’ attitude in training ahead of the crucial fixture, expressing confidence in their focus.
“I saw the commitment of the players in how they have been training. They are so focused on tomorrow’s game,” he said.
A victory against Hull would provide Fulham with much-needed relief and ease the pressure on Arbeloa ahead of their next challenging fixture against Championship winners Coventry City next weekend.
[wpadcenter_ad id='745970' align='none']