David Coote 'concern' emerges after Premier League official failed to award Liverpool major decision

Liverpool moved five points clear of Manchester City with a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday night. Goals in either half from Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah secured the Reds all three points at Anfield.

Salah’s goal arrived six minutes from normal time when he raced clear before coolly finishing past Emiliano Martinez in the Villa goal. Arne Slot’s side has taken the lead through Nunez after just 20 minutes.

The Uruguayan took the ball past the onrushing Martinez and fired into an unguarded net as his side quickly broke from a Villa corner. However, there was controversy in the build-up.

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After initially breaking from the corner, Salah was brought down following a tangle with last man Leon Bailey, but it appeared that referee David Coote had played advantage, therefore allowing Nunez to score at the Kop end. But replays later suggested that Coote had in fact actually waved away the appeals for a foul on the Egyptian away.

The fact that Coote had opted to wave away the appeals was picked up on by TNT Sports commentator Darren Fletcher, who, upon seeing a replay of the referee’s actions, expressed concern that the match official didn’t see the tangle as a foul on Salah.

“Let’s just have a look at the goal and look at the action of David Coote when Leon Bailey brings Mo Salah down,” he said during TNT’s live coverage.

At this point, co-commentator Lucy Ward remarked: “That is certainly a foul,” to which Fletcher replied: “Is he saying play on? Or is he saying that’s not a foul? I think that is the concern if that is the way he is seeing it.”

Ward then concluded: “I think you are right.”