Premier League referee David Coote has been officially dismissed by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) on Monday, December 9, following an investigation into comments he made about Liverpool and former manager Jürgen Klopp. Coote was found to have breached his contract, resulting in his termination.
The controversy originated on November 11, when a video circulated on social media allegedly showing the 42-year-old referee, seemingly under the influence, making critical remarks about Liverpool and Klopp.
In the footage, Coote appeared to reference officiating a Liverpool vs. Aston Villa match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, and discussed decisions that negatively impacted Liverpool during the game.