The Premier League have confirmed their refereeing appointments for the upcoming weekend – and David Coote is excluded after his suspension.
This weekend features some blockbuster clashes including Manchester City’s showdown with Tottenham and Ruben Amorim‘s firts game in charge of Manchester United at Ipswich.
Coote is not on the fixture list as he was suspended after an old video emerged of him calling Jurgen Klopp a ‘German ****’ and Liverpool ‘s***’.
Another video came to light of a man alleged to be Coote snorting white powder during Euro 2024, while he was accused of trying to set up a ‘drugs party’ in a Travelodge after Man City‘s defeat by Tottenham in the Carabao Cup last month.
Sam Barrott is the man tasked with taking charge of league leaders Liverpool’s trip to Southampton on Sunday, with Lee Betts and Wade Smith as assistants, Darren England as fourth official, Michael Oliver as VAR and Matt Wilks as assistant referee.
While many have used Coote’s scandal as a stick to beat referees, there has also been an outpouring of sympathy for a hard-working official who needs kindness.
As Mail Sport’s Ian Ladyman wrote: ‘A professional referee at the apex of his career who feels the need to take cocaine in a hotel room in the middle of a big summer tournament would appear to be in need of a little help.’
Last week was a turbulent one for Coote, with the video of him ranting about Liverpool coming to light on Monday – though, as old clips showed, the Reds had been more than happy to give him a foul-mouthed earful and get away with it.
‘Liverpool were s***,’ Coote said in the video, which saw him suspended by the PGMOL. ‘(Klopp is a) ****, absolute ****. Aside from having a right pop at me when I was refereeing them against Burnley in lockdown, he accused me of lying and then had a right f***ing pop of me.
‘I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f***ing arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him. (James) Milner is all right, I get on with him. You can see me there with a ‘mask’ on. But, my god, German ****, f*** me.’
It appeared that his comments came after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Burnley in July 2020, when Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Jurgen Klopp all fronted up to the official.
On Wednesday, an eight-second clip was released by The Sun which allegedly shows Coote using a rolled-up bank note to inhale a white powder in a hotal room at last summer’s European Championship.
That video is said to have been recorded on July 6, the day after the Euro 2024 quarter-final between Portugal and France, in which Coote was a support VAR official and Michael Oliver was the referee.
It is also reported to have been filmed in a UEFA-funded hotel room. He has been stood down from officiating European matches by UEFA.
More to follow.