“I don’t like them” – Premier league Referee David Coote explained why he cheated Arsenal three times following his suspension by PGMOL today
“I don’t like them” – Premier league Referee David Coote explained why he cheated Arsenal three times following his suspension by PGMOL today
The Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) has launched an investigation following the online release of a video allegedly showing referee David Coote sharing harsh opinions about Liverpool and their manager, Jurgen Klopp. According to sources from football.london, Coote seems to criticize Klopp and the Liverpool team in the leaked footage.
In the video, an unidentified person asks Coote about Klopp. Coote, who is said to be the man speaking in the clip, responds with explicit language, calling Klopp offensive names and describing a past encounter. He recounts an incident where Klopp allegedly insulted him during a match he officiated against Burnley during the lockdown, accusing Coote of lying. Coote claims he avoids speaking to Klopp, labeling him as “arrogant.”
Another individual in the video joins in, expressing disdain for Klopp, Liverpool, and people from Liverpool, using similarly strong language.
David Coote was the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during Liverpool’s controversial 1-1 match against Arsenal in December 2023. During the game at Anfield, Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard appeared to block Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah from entering the penalty box by using his hand. However, on-field referee Chris Kavanagh allowed play to continue, and VAR, overseen by Coote, did not intervene, concluding that Odegaard’s handball was incidental as he was attempting to break his fall. Klopp later expressed confusion about why VAR didn’t review the incident, questioning if the decision was justified.
Since the clip’s release, both the Premier League, the Football Association (FA), and Liverpool Football Club have been approached for their responses. Coote has been officiating Premier League matches since April 2018 and recently refereed Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.
