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

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.

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 questions why VAR was not in use after several incorrect offside calls and what he deemed an uncertain display from the match officials, although he attributes Liverpool’s exit from the Carabao Cup to poor defending.

Brighton 2-1 Liverpool 29 Jan 2023 Coote 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 Villa penalty appeals. The second, when Conor Bradley pulls Pau Torres’s shirt, was “a clear penalty at a key moment”, according to Unai Emery.

Liverpool’s results W5, D1, L2

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 go against Klopp’s unbeaten team. United’s opener, scored by Marcus Rashford, is allowed after a review of what appears to be a foul by Victor Lindelöf on Divock Origi. Sadio Mané then has 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.”

Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool 5-4 on pens 29 August 2020

Allows Takumi Minamino’s equaliser to stand in Community Shield after a review finds 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 possible 92nd-minute winner for a debatable offside against Mané, specifically the moment VAR decided to freeze the frame in its review.

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

Liverpool 4-3 Tottenham 30 April 2023

VAR leaves 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 by 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.

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

Liverpool 1-1 Arsenal 23 Dec 2023 Klopp’s team are denied the chance to go top of the Premier League at Christmas when Martin Ødegaard escapes a handball inside his own penalty area. Howard Webb, head of PGMOL, later confirmed that the referee, Chris Kavanagh, and 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 is sent off for two bookable offences by Anthony Taylor but there are no interventions from the VAR.

Brentford 1-4 Liverpool 17 Feb 2024

No major decisions/VAR interventions.

Everton 2-0 Liverpool 24 April 2024

Andy Madley awards Everton an early penalty and books Alisson for sending Dominic Calvert-Lewin sprawling as he rounds the Liverpool goalkeeper. The spot-kick and the yellow card are overturned after the VAR finds Calvert-Lewin to be offside when racing on to Jack Harrison’s pass.

Liverpool 2-0 Wolves 19 May 2024

Klopp benefits from Coote’s intervention in his final game as Liverpool manager, ironically. Nelson Semedo was only booked for an over-the-top foul on Mac Allister in the 26th minute. Coote recommended a pitch-side review to Chris Kavanagh, who upgraded the card to a red.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Liverpool 5 Oct 2024

No major decisions/VAR interventions.

Liverpool’s results W8, D4 (including the Community Shield before pens), L2