David Coote will be the VAR official for Liverpool’s titanic Premier League clash against Arsenal this weekend, despite failing to ‘reach the right outcome’ over Martin Odegaard’s handball in the reverse fixture.
The sides played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at Anfield in December that was notable for the infraction that was missed in the first half of the game.
With his back to his own goal, the Arsenal skipper made contact with his hand on the ball inside his own box having lost his footing. Fans at the time were quick to insist that the Reds should have had a spot-kick, claiming the infringement was ‘blatant’ on social media.
‘That’s the element that’s important here – whether it’s instinctive or deliberate he gets a huge advantage by bringing the arm back towards the ball, and the feedback we got back was very clear; the game expects a penalty, in this situation.’ Webb said on Match Officials Mic’d Up.
David Coote has been confirmed as the VAR official for the huge clash at the Emirates on Sunday
Liverpool felt they should have had a penalty in the first half after Odegaard handled the ball in the area in the reverse fixture last month
‘I would agree, and as such I think this was one that didn’t reach the right outcome.’
At the time of the incident, appeals were waved away by referee Chris Kavanagh and VAR official Coote agreed with the on-field decision and did not instruct the referee to take a second look at the pitchside monitor.
Following the news of Coote’s selection for Sunday’s game, fans reacted with bewilderment on social media.
‘The PGMOL are actually too funny,’ read a post on X, formerly Twitter, from one account. ‘Howard Webb came on Sky Sports and confirmed that David Coote on VAR should have given a handball on Odegaard vs Liverpool. So what have they done? They’ve put David Coote on VAR for Arsenal v Liverpool this weekend.’
A stunned Reds fan wrote: ‘David Coote was on VAR in the reverse fixture and didn’t award the penalty for handball – in which PGMOL chief Howard Webb said he did not apply the laws correctly… Yet he’s assigned to this game on VAR also.’
‘David Coote who was on VAR for the Odegaard handball against us at Anfield last month has been reappointed VAR for the reverse fixture at the Emirates on Sunday.’ Wrote another. ‘You can’t make it up anymore, they keep trying.’
A third said: ‘So after Howard Webb admitted that David Coote made a massive error as the VAR during our home match against Arsenal last month, guess who is on VAR this weekend, yep, David Coote. It’s so blatant what’s going on, it staggers me that people still can’t see it.’
Howard Webb claimed that he felt the officials didn’t reach ‘the right outcome’ when checking a possible handball by Martin Odegaard
Liverpool fans could not hide their amazement at the decision to install Coote as the VAR official after his error in the first game
Anthony Taylor will referee the huge clash at the Emirates, assisted by Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn and the fourth official Craig Pawson.
Meanwhile, Kavanagh will be the VAR official at Old Trafford as Manchester United welcome the visit of West Ham in the early game on Sunday.
Before those fixtures, there are a slate of games taking place this midweek which are headlined by Liverpool’s clash against Chelsea on Wednesday. Arsenal look to continue their improved league form against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night.
