DAVID COOTE “cannot recall” abusing Jurgen Klopp in the video rant that seems certain to end his refereeing career.
But the Nottinghamshire whistler is NOT denying the accuracy of the footage which has gone viral on social media.
The video, which appears to be at least two years old, in which Coote brands Klopp a “c***” and Liverpool as “s**t”, forced PGMOL chiefs into urgent action.
Within a couple of hours of it first being circulated publicly, it was announced the 42-year-old Coote had been “suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation”.
It was then claimed the official was “vehemently doubting” the legitimacy of the recording, with suggestions that it was potentially an AI-generated “deep fake”.
But SunSport has been told that Coote has admitted to other officials that the video is of him.
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He is now understood to not be denying the accuracy of the comments although he has admitted to refs’ chief Howard Webb that he cannot recall all the contents.
In the video circulated online, Coote said: “Liverpool were s*** . Klopp is an absolute c***.
“Aside from having a right pop at me when I was refereeing them against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then had a right f***ing pop of me.
“I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f***ing arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. James Milner is all right, I get on with him.
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“You can see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But, my god, German c***, f*** me.”
In a second video, the man added: “Just to be clear, that f***ing last video cannot go anywhere, seriously.”
The debacle seems almost certain to end with Coote being sacked as his comments about Liverpool and Klopp will be viewed as evidence that he had an axe to grind with the Anfield club.
Coote, a Prem ref since 2018, has been involved in a number of controversies involving Liverpool and their title rivals as both a referee and VAR over recent seasons.
That includes a Marcus Rashford goal way back in 2019 which saw Divock Origi seemingly fouled in the build-up – but VAR Coote did not intervene.
He was also at Stockley Park when Jordan Pickford crunched Virgil van Dijk, rupturing the Liverpool defender’s ACL – but again Coote did not step in as the Reds did not even get a penalty.
And he was once again the VAR when he denied Klopp’s side a penalty last season despite a clear handball from Martin Odegaard at Anfield.
Shocking David Coote video in full
First video
First man: “What did you think of the Liverpool game earlier when you were fourth official?”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “Erm Liverpool were s***.”
First man: “What did you think of Jurgen Klopp?”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “C***, absolute c***.”
First man: “Why would you say that Jurgen Klopp is a c***?”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “Erm, aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown.
“Then, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me – and I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody whose f***ing arrogant.
“So I do my best not to speak to him. [James] Milner is alright, I get on with Milner.”
First man: “James Milner, he gets on with James Milner.”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “You can see me there with mask on.”
First man: “Mask on, obviously.”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “Yea Covid, got to be done. Social distancing right? We’re two meters apart.”
First man: “We have to social distance.”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “Yep, so but [exhales] my God. German c***, f*** me.”
First man: “Long story short, Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f***ing b******s, we hate Scousers.”
Second video
Second man (allegedly Coote): “Right just to be clear, that f***ing last video cant go anywhere, seriously.”
First man: He’s a Premier League referee, let’s not f***ing ruin his career.
“Like let’s face we’re good blokes but we can’t ruin a bloke’s career. We’re not that bad. Also he’s a f***ing legend.”
Second man (allegedly Coote): “So, yeah.”
First man: “So lets not ruin his career.”
His last game was ironically at Anfield on Saturday, when he angered both Liverpool and Aston Villa with his decisions as Arne Slot’s side won 2-0 to move five points clear at the top of the Prem.
Coote appeared to wave play on and not acknowledge a blatant “last man” red card foul by Leon Bailey on Mo Salah, although with Darwin Nunes picking up the loose ball and scoring, there could be no VAR intervention.
But Coote also left Villa boss Unai Emery seething as the visitors saw two spot-kick claims rejected.
A PGMOL statement on Monday said: “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation.
“PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete.”
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