Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has insisted his side deserved "a little bit more" from their 3-2 home defeat to Chelsea in the Premier League, while drawing encouragement from the "character and personality" his players displayed throughout the match.

The loss marked Arbeloa's first Premier League game as Fulham manager — a baptism of fire against one of the division's most formidable rivals. Despite the result, the Spaniard chose to focus on the positive signs he witnessed from his squad rather than dwell on the defeat.

Chelsea secured the three points in what proved to be a closely contested London derby, edging out Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage. The scoreline suggests a tight encounter, and Arbeloa made clear he felt the margin of defeat did not fully reflect his side's efforts.

Arbeloa's appointment as Fulham manager brought considerable attention, and this opening Premier League fixture will have given him his first real assessment of the task ahead. The narrow defeat, while disappointing, appeared to leave him cautiously optimistic about what his team can build on going forward.