David Coote has already faced PGMOL suspension years before X-rated Liverpool video emerged

Premier League referee David Coote had previously been investigated by the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) before his recent suspension.

The match official, 42, has been immediately suspended by the refereeing and officials organisation after he was alleged to have used insulting language towards Liverpool and ex-manager Jurgen Klopp in a video that was posted online. The clip is of a man, who appears to be Coote, slating the club as being "s***" and calling the ex-Merseysiders' boss a "German c***".

A statement confirming his suspension and the start of an investigation was released by the PGMOL. However, Coote was previously investigated by the organisation at the start of the 2017-18 campaign, before he became a Premier League official.

Back in 2017, the Nottinghamshire-based referee was investigated about allegations of misconduct. Although he was listed in Select Group 2, the tier just below the top-flight referees, Coote wasn't assigned any matches at the start of the subsequent season.

At the time, Coote regularly oversaw Championship games and had also refereed in the FA Cup and play-off matches. While it was initially suggested that an injury was the cause, Mirror Football later disclosed that PGMOL's ongoing investigation was the actual reason for his absence.

The specific details of the allegations from that period were not disclosed by PGMOL, but it was understood they pertained to Coote's previous involvement with a local football association. A few months after the probe into his conduct began, Coote was discreetly brought back into the fold by the PGMOL.

Not long after, he was chosen to referee in the Premier League. Six years on from the investigation, Coote has been barred from