Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended after a video shared on social media allegedly showed him making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
In the clip, Coote reportedly referred to Klopp as “arrogant” and used offensive language.
The refereeing body, Professional Game Match Officials Limited, announced on Monday that Coote’s suspension is effective immediately and will last until a full investigation is complete. “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation.
PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete,” said PGMOL in its statement.
Coote, who is 42, officiated Liverpool’s recent 2-0 victory over Aston Villa and has been a top-flight referee since 2018.
The video in question appears to reference a match Coote officiated in 2020 between Liverpool and Burnley, which ended in a 1-1 draw. After that match, Klopp had criticized Coote, claiming he did not call fouls on certain challenges against Liverpool players.
Coote is registered as a Notts County fan, which bars him from officiating matches involving either Notts County or Nottingham Forest.
PGMOL has said it will withhold further comments until the investigation concludes.
