Liverpool fans dredge up THREE David Coote refereeing decisions that went against them, as he is suspended for ‘leaked video’ where he appeared to call Jurgen Klopp a ‘****’ and the Reds ‘s***’
Liverpool fans are convinced that foul play was at work in a number of contentious historic incidents following a leaked video that allegedly shows Premier League referee David Coote disrespecting the club and former manager Jurgen Klopp.
Coote, who refereed Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday, is shown in the video – which appears to be from several years ago – calling then Reds boss Klopp a ‘German ****’ and ‘f***ing arrogant’.
The 42-year-old has officiated in the top-flight since 2018, a period which saw the Reds and Manchester City contest a series of tight title races separated by the smallest of margins.
And in light of the sensational video, some Liverpool supporters have voiced their concern that a number of controversial decisions that went against them when Coote was the Video Assistant Referee.
‘Corruption. Plain and simple.’ wrote one account on X which catalogued three of the debatable calls.
An astonishing leaked video appearing to show Premier League official David Coote calling Liverpool ‘s***’ and Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ is being investigated by referees chiefs
Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp clashing with Coote during a league match back in 2022
Everton stopper Jordan Pickford did not receive a caution for his horror tackle on Virgil van Dijk in 2021, which resulted in the Dutchman rupturing his ACL
The oldest call that has riled up some supporters came during the Reds’ Premier League-winning 2019-20 season, when the Anfield club felt they should have received a free kick for a foul on Divock Origi in the build up to Marcus Rashford’s opener for Manchester United.
Liverpool’s Merseyside derby draw with Everton in 2021 has also been brought into a different light by a contingent of the Reds fanbase as the game included several controversial calls.
Chiefly, Jordan Pickford’s challenge on Virgil van Dijk, which saw the Dutchman rupture his ACL but was not met with a caution, let alone a dismissal.
In the closing stages of the 2-2 draw, the Reds thought they had grabbed a late winner but the goal was chalked off for offside despite replays indicating that Sadio Mane was not ahead of the play.
Arguably the most controversial call was VAR’s decision not to overturn Chris Kavanagh’s decision to wave away a penalty for a clear handball by Martin Odegaard in the Reds’ 1-1 draw with Arsenal last December.
Referees’ chief Howard Webb later admitted that the home side should have been awarded a spot-kick for the incident.
‘The game expects a penalty in this situation. I would agree,’ said Webb on Match Officials Mic’d Up, a Premier League Productions programme which analyses VAR decisions from previous gameweeks.
PGMOL is only in the preliminary stages of an investigation into the video and there is a possibility that the video could be a deep-fake or made using artificial intelligence.
Some Reds supporters took to social media to highlight contentious decisions that went against them
Liverpool did not receive a penalty for Martin Odegaard’s handball in the area. Referees’ chief Howard Webb later admitted that was a mistake
‘Liverpool were sh*t,’ said the man alleged to be Coote in the video. ‘(Klopp is a) ****, absolute ****. 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. You can see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But, my god, German ****, f*** me.’
In a second video, the man added: ‘Just to be clear, that f***ing last video cannot go anywhere, seriously.’
Mail Sport understands the refereeing body PGMOL are aware of the video and are investigating it.
