Match-by-match: David Coote’s Liverpool games as referee and VAR

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His games as the referee

Liverpool 1-1 Burnley (11 July 2020): The game David Coote references in the video. In his first time refereeing a Liverpool match, Coote rejects Andy Robertson’s claim for an 83rd-minute penalty when caught by Jóhann Gudmundsson. Robertson, clearly audible with the game played behind closed doors during lockdown, labels the decision a disgrace. “What’s the point in having you?” he adds. Jürgen Klopp confronts the referee after the final whistle to complain that his goalkeeper, Alisson, was not afforded enough protection. The Liverpool manager said: “We were angry with the referee but we have to criticise ourselves first for not finishing the game.” The draw ends the newly crowned champions’ hopes of becoming the first top-flight team to finish with a 100% home record since Sunderland in 1891-92.

Jürgen Klopp speaks to David Coote after the match against Burnley at Anfield in 2020

Preston 0-2 Liverpool (27 Oct 2021): No major decisions in Carabao Cup fourth round.

Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury (9 Jan 2022): Awards Liverpool a penalty for a handball by Ethan Ebanks-Landell on the stroke of half-time. Fabinho converts to overturn Shrewsbury’s shock lead en route to a comfortable win in the FA Cup third round.

Manchester City 3-2 Liverpool (22 Dec 2022): Klopp questioned why VAR was not in use after several incorrect offside calls and what he deemed an uncertain display from the match officials, although he attributed Liverpool’s exit from the Carabao Cup to poor defending.

David Coote watches on as Kevin De Bruyne has a shot at the Etihad in 2022.

Brighton 2-1 Liverpool (29 Jan 2023): Treats Liverpool leniently over three potential red card offences in this FA Cup fourth-round tie: when Ibrahima Konaté, on a yellow card, brings down his future teammate Alexis Mac Allister as the last man, when Fabinho commits an awful foul on Evan Ferguson that leaves the teenager on crutches and an over-the-top foul by Robertson on Mac Allister in stoppage time.

Liverpool 2-1 Fulham (10 Jan 2024): Books Virgil van Dijk for catching Andreas Pereira in the face with a stray elbow in this Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. There is no VAR in the competition to review the decision.

Liverpool 2-1 Brighton (31 Mar 2024): No major decisions.

Liverpool 2-0 Aston Villa (9 Nov 2024): Signals no foul when Leon Bailey brings down Mohamed Salah and denies the forward an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Possible red-card offence taken out of VAR’s hands when Darwin Núñez runs on to score. Also rejects two penalty appeals by Villa. The second, when Conor Bradley pulls the shirt of Pau Torres, was “a clear penalty at a key moment”, according to Unai Emery.

Liverpool’s Conor Bradley grabs Pau Torres’s shirt.

Liverpool’s results: W 5, D 1, L 2

His games as the VAR

Sheffield United 0-1 Liverpool (28 Sep 2019): No major decisions/VAR interventions.

Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool (20 Oct 2019): Two VAR decisions went against Klopp’s unbeaten team. United’s opener, scored by Marcus Rashford, was allowed after a review of what appeared to be a foul by Victor Lindelöf on Divock Origi. Sadio Mané then had an equaliser disallowed for handball. “It was a clear foul,” Klopp said of the United goal. “We cannot change that – it’s just a general problem with VAR.”

Divock Origi goes down after a challenge by Victor Lindelöf in the buildup to Manchester United’s goal

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (5-4 on pens) (29 August 2020): Allows Takumi Minamino’s equaliser for Liverpool to stand in the Community Shield after a review found it was Arsenal’s Cédric Soares, not Salah, who handled in the buildup.

Everton 2-2 Liverpool (17 Oct 2020): The most contentious and consequential of Coote’s VAR performances for Liverpool. The reigning champions were left seeking an explanation from the Premier League over why VAR did not advise a red card for Jordan Pickford after he ended Van Dijk’s season with a reckless foul in the sixth minute. The Everton goalkeeper escaped conceding a penalty in the same incident as VAR found Van Dijk had been offside in the buildup, but then did not scrutinise the potential red-card offence. “VAR forgets the rules,” said an incensed Klopp. Liverpool also wanted answers from the Premier League over the decision to disallow Jordan Henderson’s 92nd-minute winner for a debatable offside against Mané, specifically the moment VAR decided to freeze the frame in its review.

Jordan Henderson trudges off the field after his late winner against Everton in 2020 was disallowed by VAR.

Liverpool 7-0 Manchester United (5 March 2023): Hardly a gamechanging decision but the VAR ruled Salah was onside when scoring the sixth goal in Liverpool’s biggest victory over their fierce rivals.

Liverpool 4-3 Tottenham (30 April 2023): The VAR left Spurs’ interim manager, Ryan Mason, bewildered with the decision not to dismiss Diogo Jota for endangering Oliver Skipp with a high challenge. Skipp needed stitches to a cut on his head from Jota’s raised boot, although the Liverpool forward insisted he also touched the ball. Jota added insult to injury for Spurs when scoring a 94th-minute winner.

Liverpool 3-1 West Ham (24 Sep 2023): Confirms the on-field decisions to award a penalty to Liverpool for a foul by Nayef Aguerd on Salah and to disallow a Curtis Jones goal for offside.

Mohamed Salah goes down after a challenge by Nayef Aguerd leading to a penalty for Liverpool

Liverpool 2-0 Everton (21 Oct 2023): Coote sent the referee, Craig Pawson, to the pitch-side monitor after the latter missed a clear handball by the Everton defender Michael Keane from Luis Díaz’s cross. Salah converted the resulting penalty to break the resistance of Everton’s 10-men in the 75th minute.

Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal (23 Dec 23): Liverpool were denied the chance to go top of the Premier League at Christmas when Martin Ødegaard escaped a handball inside his own penalty area. Howard Webb, head of PGMOL, later confirmed the referee, Chris Kavanagh, and the VAR, Coote, were wrong not to award a penalty. The VAR also allowed Gabriel Magalhães’s early opener after a lengthy review of a possible offside.

Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool (4 Feb 2024): Konaté was sent off for two bookable offences by Anthony Taylor but there were no interventions from the VAR.

Brentford 1-4 Liverpool (17 Feb 2024): No major decisions/VAR interventions.

Everton 2-0 Liverpool (24 April 2024): The referee, Andy Madley, awarded Everton an early penalty and booked Alisson for sending Dominic Calvert-Lewin sprawling as he rounded the Liverpool goalkeeper. The spot kick and the yellow card were overturned after the VAR found Calvert-Lewin to be offside when racing on to Jack Harrison’s pass.

Liverpool 2-0 Wolves (19 May 2024): Klopp benefited from Coote’s intervention in his final game as Liverpool’s manager. Nelson Semedo was booked for an over-the-top foul on Mac Allister in the 26th minute. Coote recommended a pitch-side review to referee Kavanagh, who upgraded the card to a red.