Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa has expressed his belief that his team "can beat anyone" after they held Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

The Cottagers were fortunate not to fall behind in the early stages at Villa Park as John McGinn crashed his 16th-minute penalty against the frame of the goal.

Villa eventually opened the scoring through Nicolas Jackson in the closing stages of the first period, before Fulham responded with a lengthy spell of consistent pressure after the restart. 

The Cottagers deservedly levelled the scoreline just after the hour mark, although the goal arrived in fortuitous circumstances as Zion Suzuki dropped the ball over the line in his attempt to gather from a corner. 

While they were unable to find a winner, the draw ended Fulham's seven-game losing run at Villa Park since they last won at the ground in 2014. 

Zion Suzuki drops Alex Iwobi's corner and Fulham are level! ? https://t.co/KwLFMRpKqk

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 31, 2026

Arbeloa claims Fulham "can beat anyone" after strong display

Fulham finished the game with 55% possession, five shots on target to Villa's three and an xG of 2.21 compared to the opposition's 1.71.

The encouraging performance represented another building block in Alvaro Arbeloa's tenure as his side made it three consecutive Premier League games without a win. 

Speaking after the game, the Fulham boss declared that his players have proven they are capable of competing with any team put in front of them.

"I am so happy with our performance in the second half," Arbeloa said. "This is what I want to see from my team, that character, that ambition.

"We needed to be aggressive against a team like Villa. It was a Champions League team in front of us.

"Technically, I thought we were very good but this is the Premier League, and you have to be aggressive, and physically, you have to be at your best level.

"I think maybe we deserved a little bit more, but the performance was really great. I think we are a very difficult team to beat, and I think we can beat anyone."

Follow Fulham away. Safe journey home. ? https://t.co/zHbUGEuohJ

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) October 31, 2026

What next for Fulham?

Having picked up seven points from their last three games, Fulham sit outside the Premier League drop zone in 15th, but they cannot rest on their laurels, with only two points separating them from the bottom three.

Arbeloa's charge will turn their focus to a home clash against Newcastle United on Saturday, November 7.

That will be their final outing before the international window, and it will be key to pick up a positive result before they return to action with a tricky run of fixtures after the two-week break.

Fulham take on Manchester City on November 21, before going up against two teams currently in form in the shape of Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur.