Premier League referee David Coote has been suspended with immediate effect after a video, purportedly showing him calling former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp a c**t, circulated online.

Coote has previously been involved in a number of controversies including Liverpool and fans immediately sought to draw a connection. In the past it had been mistakenly claimed that Coote was a fan of Manchester United, one of Liverpool’s biggest rivals.

However the Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s (PGMOL) confirmed earlier this year that Coote is a fan of lower league side Notts County. Coote was born in Nottinghamshire and previously worked as a referee development officer with the Notts FA.

Is David Coote a Man Utd fan?

Rumours about Coote’s allegiances circulated last year when he was appointed to referee the FA Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United.

In the build-up to the game an image shared online claimed to show Coote’s Facebook profile, with Man Utd’s Old Trafford stadium featured prominently. It was quickly proved to be a hoax but the idea stuck with a section of English supporters.

Coote has refereed a number of Manchester United games in recent years, indicating that he has no allegiances to the club. FA rules insist that the referee may not oversee any game involving a team that they support.