Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended following the emergence of a video allegedly showing him making derogatory remarks about Liverpool and the club’s former manager, Jürgen Klopp, as reported by the BBC on Monday afternoon.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited confirmed Coote’s suspension, stating that it takes “immediate effect” pending a full investigation into the incident.
Coote, a seasoned referee in the Premier League since 2018, officiated Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday.
He is now under scrutiny following the circulation of the unverified video, which reportedly references a previous match he officiated between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020. That game ended in a 1-1 draw, and Klopp publicly criticised Coote for not awarding fouls against challenges on Liverpool players.
However, the authenticity and timing of the video is yet to be confirmed, and PGMOL has stated that it will “withhold further comment until its investigation concludes,” according to multiple reports.
Meanwhile, transfer analyst Fabrizio Romano also reported the development on his X page, writing, “Official: PL referee David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation. PGMOL will make no further comment until that process is complete.”