WARNING: This story contains graphic language.
England’s Football Association has launched an investigation after a video showing Premier League referee David Coote making derogatory comments about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp was posted on social media.
The FA’s decision to investigate the matter comes a day after Coote was suspended by PGMOL on Monday.
In the video, an intoxicated-looking Coote can be heard saying that "Liverpool were sh*t", and that the club’s former manager Klopp was a "c*nt“.
He further goes on to say: “Aside from having a right pop at me when I refereed them against Burnley in lockdown, then he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me. I've got no interest in speaking to somebody who's f***ing arrogant."
An FA spokesperson on Tuesday said the body were looking into the posting of the video.
"We are aware of the matter, and we are investigating it," an FA spokesman said on Tuesday.
Retired referee Mike Dean, now a TV pundit, believes the incident will have a damaging effect on officials throughout English football.
In an interview with Sky Sports, the 56-year-old said: "As referees you can't put yourself in that position no matter what you do.
"You can say things away from camera, you can talk amongst your friends and things and colleagues, but you can't let somebody video this and then hope that it's never going to come out."
The video appears to refer to a match that Coote officiated between Liverpool and Burnley in July 2020, which finished 1-1. Liverpool had already been crowned champions.
Klopp criticised Coote after the match, saying the referee had been too lenient in his treatment of Burnley challenges.
Klopp left Liverpool at the end of last season after nearly nine years in charge at Anfield.
The German was also critical of Coote over an incident in a match against Arsenal last season in which Gunners midfielder Martin Odegaard's hand made contact with the ball.
Coote, as VAR, did not advise on-field official Chris Kavanagh to review the incident.
IOL Sport, additional reporting by AFP