PGMOL suspend referee Coote after explicit rant aimed at Klopp and Liverpool
The unverified video, currently going viral, seems to show the current referee and regular VAR official describing his distaste for the German manager after coming to blows during a match in which he had officiated.
A PGMOL statement read: "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 is unclear when the video was recorded and where the conversation takes place, although it shows Coote looking seemingly 'worse-for-wear' as he answers questions from an unknown associate.
In the video, apparently from some years ago, Coote describes the former Liverpool boss as an "absolute c*nt" and "f*cking arrogant".
When pressed by his associate in the video as to why, the referee harks back to an incident after the match between Liverpool and Burnley during lockdown in 2020.
"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*cking pop at me," Coote adds.
"I have no interest in speaking to someone who is f*cking arrogant. So I do my best not to speak to him.
"(James) Milner is all right, I get on with him. But, my god, German c*nt, f*ck me."
Flashscore has yet to be able to determine the validity of the video.
Coote - who recently officiated Liverpool's 2-0 win against Aston Villa on Saturday that propelled the Reds to a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League - is no stranger to controversy when it comes to his crossing paths with the Merseyside club.
Klopp left Liverpool in the summer after almost nine successful years in charge of the Merseyside club, which included winning the Premier League and Champions League.
In 2020, Coote came under fire as the VAR official for not advising the referee to send off Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford after the goalkeeper's brutal tackle left Virgil van Dijk injured for eight months.
Coote was said to 'have forgotten the rules' as he believed an offside in the build-up nullified any resulting challenge.
Flashscore has approached Liverpool Football Club for comment.