David Coote: the referee who seems to have a Liverpool-sized blind spot. After his recent suspension following a leaked, profanity-laden video where he insulted Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool fans are raising eyebrows.
Coote has been suspended with immediate effect pending a full investigation after a video surfaced from 2020, where it seems that he calls Klopp an “absolute c***.”
And blood pressure level increases automatically after remembering the officiating blunders that have sparked outrage among the Reds supporters over the years. Here is a look at five of his most notorious calls that sent Liverpool fans into a frenzy.
Coote blunder no.1: The Origi foul that wasn’t – 2019
Liverpool’s title-winning season saw them make a contentious stop at Old Trafford, with Coote in the VAR booth.
Victor Lindelof’s blatant foul on Divock Origi led directly to a Marcus Rashford opener that somehow stood, despite a VAR review.
Klopp summed it up perfectly post-match: “A goal which shows all the problems with VAR.” the game ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw.
Coote blunder no.2: Robertson denied clear penalty – 2020
Anfield, 2020. Liverpool drew 1-1 with Burnley, a match where Andy Robertson was clearly fouled in the box. Coote, however, saw no issue, brushing off Robertson’s claims and leaving the Scot fuming. Klopp and Trent Alexander-Arnold also joined him.
Further, Robertson even spat in a post-game rant:
“How that’s not a penalty on me…What’s the point in having [VAR]? What is the point in having you? Wait until you see it.
Wait until you go in and see that and you’ll go, ‘How the f*** is that not a penalty?’. You didn’t see f***ing anything.
You didn’t see anything the whole game apart from f***ing booking him in the last minute. F*** me. What’s the point of having you in the middle?
What’s the point of having you? Eh? F*** me, honestly.”
Coote blunder no.3: Forgot to check Van Dijk’s injury – 2020
Finally, the infamous Merseyside derby. Jordan Pickford’s brutal tackle on Virgil van Dijk sidelined the Dutchman for the season. But Coote – the VAR official allegedly “forgot” to check for a red card.
If fans thought VAR was designed to prevent such oversights, they were sorely mistaken. Adding salt to the wound, Liverpool’s last-minute winner was ruled offside by a hairline margin. The final score: 2-2, and a season-altering loss to their defensive talisman.
Coote blunder no.4: Odegaard’s handball mystery – 2023
Fast forward to 2023 against Arsenal. With an outstretched arm, Martin Odegaard handled the ball in the box.
Despite multiple replays, Coote and the VAR team shrugged it off. Finally, the game ended in 1-1, with a chance for Liverpool to climb in the title race erased by yet another botched call.
Coote blunder no.5: Liverpool player Salah dragged down – ignored – 2024
Most recently, Coote denied Liverpool a clear foul on Mohamed Salah against Aston Villa. Salah, en route to goal, was pulled down – but Coote waved to play on. Fortunately, Darwin Nunez scored. But it should never have been left to chance.
Henceforth, Coote’s track record is a saga of missed penalties, “forgotten” checks, and ignored fouls. The question now: is it oversight, or something more sinister?
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