Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended following the circulation of a video on social media that allegedly shows him making derogatory remarks about Liverpool and former manager Jürgen Klopp.
The suspension, announced by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), is effective immediately and will remain in place pending a full investigation.
Coote, 42, who officiated Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, is one of the Premier League’s most experienced referees, having been active in the top flight since 2018.
The video appears to reference a match he refereed between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
After that game, Klopp publicly criticized Coote for not awarding fouls on Liverpool players.
In the video, a man identified as Coote reportedly describes Klopp as having “a right pop” at him after the Burnley match and calls the manager “arrogant,” using offensive language to refer to him.
The footage, lasting just over a minute, shows Coote speaking with another man, though the circumstances surrounding its release remain unclear.
PGMOL has stated it will not make any further comments on the matter until the investigation is concluded.
