English Premier League referee David Coote was on Monday suspended after a video was posted on social media appearing to show him making derogatory remarks about former Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp.
It is unclear when the video was made or how it came into circulation and the British Press Association said it had not verified it.
According to the clip, Coote said Klopp was “arrogant” and used offensive language.
Photo: AFP
The BBC said the video appeared to refer to a match that Coote officiated between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020, which finished 1-1.
Klopp criticized Coote after the match, saying the referee had been too lenient in his treatment of Burnley challenges.
Refereeing body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said in a statement on Monday that “David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation.”
“PGMOL will be making no further comment until that process is complete,” it said.
Coote, 42, refereed Liverpool’s 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Klopp left Liverpool at the end of last season after nearly nine years in charge at Anfield.
The German was critical of Coote over an incident in a match against Arsenal last season in which Gunners midfielder Martin Odegaard’s hand made contact with the ball.
Coote, as Video Assistant Referee (VAR), did not advise on-field official Chris Kavanagh to review the incident.
“How can a guy in an office see that and not come to the conclusion that maybe, possibly, it could be worth the referee having another look?” Klopp said after the match.
Coote was also the VAR in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020 when Toffees goalkeeper Jordan Pickford inflicted a season-ending injury on Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.
Pickford was not sent off for the challenge and did not face retrospective action because, under English Football Association rules, that can only happen if an incident was not seen either at the time or when it was reviewed by VAR.
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