In light of David Coote’s suspension after a foul-mouthed video emerged of him criticising Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp, we take a look at his history with the club.
The PGMOL have suspended Coote with immediate effect pending a full investigation after a video surfaced from 2020, where it appears he calls Klopp an “absolute c***.”
This is the latest flashpoint in what feels like an endless list when it comes to Coote and Liverpool, and here we recount some of his most contentious moments.
Prepare to feel your blood boil as you relive these!
Divock Origi foul denied – 2019
In Liverpool’s title-winning season, Coote was in the VAR booth for the trip to Old Trafford.
That game saw Marcus Rashford’s opener stand despite a VAR check on a foul from Victor Lindelof on Divock Origi in the buildup. Klopp described it after the game as “a goal which shows all the problems with VAR.”
The match ended 1-1.
Andy Robertson’s furious protest – 2020
In the same season, Coote was the on-field referee when Andy Robertson felt he should have been awarded a clear penalty after a foul in the box during a 1-1 draw with Burnley at Anfield.
His claim was waved away by Coote, and there was a heated exchange between Robertson and the referee after the final whistle, with Klopp and Trent Alexander-Arnold also joining in. The Scot said:
“How that’s not a penalty on me…What’s the point in having [VAR]? What is the point in having you?
“Wait until you see it. Wait until you go in and see that and you’ll go, ‘How the f*** is that not a penalty?’.
“You didn’t see f***ing anything. You didn’t see anything the whole game apart from f***ing booking him in the last minute.
“F*** me. What’s the point of having you in the middle? What’s the point of having you? Eh? F*** me, honestly.”
‘FORGOT’ to check Pickford tackle on Van Dijk – 2020
This is the most famous incident of them all.
Coote was the VAR in the Merseyside derby at Goodison during the lockdown season. That day, Jordan Pickford’s late, reckless challenge forced Virgil van Dijk to miss the rest of the campaign.
We all expected immediate action for the Everton goalkeeper, but it was later reported that Coote FORGOT to check for a red card.
Michael Oliver, referee that day, later admitted that he should have sent Pickford off, as he and Coote “got sucked too much” into checking for the offside.
This match also saw Jordan Henderson be denied a dramatic last-gasp winner by an incredibly marginal offside call – and pictures failed to concretely show the reason. The game finished 2-2.
How the list goes beyond this is telling…
That handball vs. Arsenal – 2023
Anyone with eyes could see that Martin Odegaard turned into a basketball player at Anfield last season, and yet Coote – with countless angles and opportunities for replays – did not.
The Arsenal captain made a clear movement towards the ball with his hand, but neither the referee, Chris Kavanagh, nor Coote in the VAR room gave Klopp’s side a penalty.
Coote assessed: “For me, Lee (Betts)… he’s falling down, he’s moving his arms towards him, so it’s check complete for me.”
Howard Webb later admitted that “this one did not reach the right outcome.” That’s putting it lightly!
An independent panel, separately, adjudged 4-1 in favour that a penalty should have been award.
Ultimately, the game finished 1-1 in what was a decisive game in the title race.
Salah dragged down but NO foul?! – 2024
Now we arrive at the most recent incident, against Aston Villa – one of the rare occasions the Reds won in spite of Coote’s incompetence.
Mohamed Salah was closing in on the goal and the last defender took him out, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.
Coote, the on-field referee, immediately waved it away despite being just metres away from the incident.
Darwin Nunez went on to score, thankfully for Liverpool, but it is alarming that Coote did not see it as a foul or an incident worthy of punishing Leon Bailey with a red card.
Another farcical chapter in the book of run-ins with Coote.
