Referee David Coote has been suspended while the Premier League’s refereeing body investigates a video appearing to show the official calling former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp “f****** arrogant” and a “German c***” in an extraordinary rant.
The footage circulating on social media appears to show Coote, 42, in conversation with an unknown man, who asks what he thinks of an unspecified Liverpool game.
“Liverpool were s***,” the man appearing to be Coote replies.
Asked what he thinks of Klopp, he responds: “C***. Absolute c***,” before adding: “Aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed him against Burnley in lockdown, then he accused me of lying and then just had a right f****** pop at me. And I’ve got no interest in speaking to someone who’s f****** arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. [James] Milner’s alright.”
In a second video, Coote appears to add: “Just to be clear, that f****** last video can’t go anywhere. Seriously.”
The Independent has not been able to verify the content of the video.
The referees’ body, the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL), said in a statement: “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation. PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete.”
Coote was the referee during Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday evening. It is currently unclear if the video is genuine and, if so, when it was recorded.
In the video, Coote appears to reference a match between Liverpool and Burnley in the 2020/21 season – a 1-1 draw at Anfield.
Coote was also the VAR during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal last December, in Klopp’s final season at Anfield, when the Reds were controversially denied a penalty after Martin Odegaard touched the ball with his hand in the penalty area. Howard Webb, the head of the PGMOL, admitted that referee Chris Kavanagh and the VAR, Coote, were wrong not to award a penalty.
Coote began refereeing as a teenager in Nottinghamshire, and was promoted to the Premier League in 2018. He has remained a regular official in the top tier of English football ever since, and also took charge of last year’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley Stadium, which Manchester United won 2-0 against Newcastle.