In the video, a man resembling Coote is seen speaking with an unidentified person who asks for his opinion on Klopp. The man then goes on an explicit rant, allegedly saying: “C***, absolute c***. Aside from having a serious go at me when I was officiating a match against Burnley during the lockdown, he accused me of lying and verbally attacked me. I have no interest in speaking to someone as f***ing arrogant. I try to avoid talking to him.”
The person next to him reportedly adds, “In short, Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f*ing b***** and we hate Scousers.”
David Coote served as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) during Liverpool’s 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Anfield in December 2023, a game marked by a controversial decision. Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard appeared to block Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah by handling the ball inside the penalty area. However, on-field referee Chris Kavanagh allowed play to continue, and the VAR did not call for a review. Coote reportedly ruled that Odegaard’s handball was unintentional, as he seemed to be bracing his fall, which under current rules does not count as a foul.
Following the match, Klopp questioned why VAR hadn’t reviewed the incident. Speaking to the media, Klopp said, “Yes, I saw it. I’m pretty sure someone will explain why it wasn’t given as a handball, but I can’t understand how. I’m not saying the referee could see it clearly, because I don’t know his position, but how does someone in an office look at it and not think it’s worth the referee taking a second look?”
Coote has been officiating in the Premier League since April 2018 and recently refereed Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.
The Premier League, the Football Association (FA), and Liverpool Football Club have all been contacted for their comments on the incident.
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