VAR given Liverpool vs Everton oversaw Merseyside derby that left Reds fuming

17 October 2023 , 11:34

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David Coote will be on VAR duty for the Merseyside derby (Image: PA)

David Coote will be on VAR duty when Liverpool host Everton this weekend, having been at the centre of controversy in a Merseyside derby three seasons ago.

Coote was the VAR when Liverpool drew 2-2 with Everton at Goodison Park in October 2020, with the Reds demanding an investigation over two highly contentious decisions. Liverpool were not happy that Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford escaped punishment after a challenge on Virgil van Dijk.

It later emerged that Van Dijk had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury and he was sidelined for over nine months. Liverpool were also unhappy after Jordan Henderson's late goal was disallowed when Sadio Mane was deemed to be offside.

And Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was furious that Pickford's challenge went unpunished, fuming: "Very often in challenges both players try to play the ball and this was not the case in these two challenges. It makes it so different and difficult to take.

"In the last four years if I look, we are the leader of the Fair Play table. You don't get anything for that and often it is something where people make a joke where they say 'you are top of that table but you are not up there in the real table'.

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"In both tables we were pretty high so it means we can play football without these kinds of challenges. In this game, a few things came together. First, the ref doesn't see it, so it is Michael Oliver who doesn't see it and he is an excellent referee usually, but why he couldn't see it I don't understand as he had the best view.

"And the VAR forgets the rules! As a human being, it is all about that, it is not that I want the Everton players punished. But I think it is something we all agree on. If you do something wrong you have to deal with the consequences. And at this moment, it is only one person (Van Dijk) who deals with the consequences."

Coote was also the VAR when Jordan Pickford escaped a red card for this challenge on Virgil van Dijk (PA)

The PGMOL did deny claims that Coote 'forgot' the rules after he reportedly thought the fact that Van Dijk was offside meant he could not recommend Pickford be sent off. Pickford also escaped retrospective action because the challenge was seen by match officials.

Last month, Liverpool were the subject of a major VAR blunder when Luis Diaz's goal was wrongly disallowed for offside in their 2-2 draw against Tottenham. VAR Darren England and his assistant Dan Cook mistakenly thought the original on-field decision was that Diaz onside and by the time they realised their error the game had restarted.

They were both stood down for the next set of Premier League fixtures, but are now set to return this weekend. England has been named as fourth official for Brentford's game against Burnley, while Cook meanwhile will be one of the assistant referees for Sheffield United vs Manchester United.

Matthew Cooper