Fulham Morning Round-Up, Saturday 31st October 2026: Arbeloa Backs Robinson and Explains Smith Rowe Omission Ahead of Villa Park Test

Good morning Whites fans. The big talking point this morning is Alvaro Arbeloa's pre-match briefing ahead of today's trip to Villa Park, where he addressed both Emile Smith Rowe's continued absence and Antonee Robinson's dip in form. The head coach reiterated that Smith Rowe needs to be patient and earn his way back into the squad, having been left out of the last three matchday groups, with Josh King currently in good form in that area of the pitch (West London Sport) (Sky Sports). Arbeloa also gave his backing to Robinson despite a shaky recent display, suggesting he still has faith in the left-back to come good (West London Sport) (Sky Sports).

On the contract front, there's positive news as Arbeloa has confirmed Fulham are keen to tie Calvin Bassey down to a new deal. The defender has clocked up 102 Premier League appearances since joining from Craven Cottage in 2023, and the club clearly see him as a key part of their plans going forward (West London Sport).

Looking ahead to today's action, Fulham head to the Midlands to take on Aston Villa in the Premier League, with the chance to finally end a losing run against the Villans that stretches back 12 years (Sports Mole). Team news is being closely watched ahead of kick-off, with the usual pre-match checks on injuries and suspensions for both sides being compiled as the squads are finalised (Sports Mole). It promises to be a tough afternoon at Villa Park, but one where Arbeloa's men will be hoping to make a bit of history.

This round-up is written with the help of AI, using only the day's headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.