Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League clash sees them host Aston Villa at Anfield, with the selection of officials for the match raising some eyebrows among fans.
David Coote has been appointed as the main referee, while Paul Tierney will be taking on the role of lead VAR at Stockley Park—choices that are unlikely to be popular among the Liverpool faithful.
This will be Liverpool’s final league match before the international break, and it’s an important opportunity to strengthen their position at the top of the table. Currently, Liverpool hold a narrow lead, with Villa trailing them by seven points in sixth place. The visitors arrive in need of a morale boost, having recorded just one victory in their last four Premier League matches.
Considering the anticipation for the fixture, the choice of Coote and Tierney for officiating responsibilities is far from ideal in the eyes of Liverpool supporters. Coote, in particular, has a contentious history with the club. He drew widespread criticism in 2020 when, as VAR, he failed to take appropriate action during the Merseyside derby in which Virgil van Dijk suffered a season-ending injury. Liverpool fans also remember his oversight of an Arsenal game last season, where he missed several handball incidents that looked more like basketball moves.
This will be Coote’s first on-field officiating role at a Liverpool match since their 2-1 comeback victory over Brighton in March, a game in which his performance left many fans exasperated. In that match, he dished out what some saw as soft yellow cards and turned down penalty appeals from both Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez. His decisions led to jeers from both sets of supporters, a rare occurrence for any referee.
Meanwhile, Tierney’s appointment as lead VAR is likely to cause just as much apprehension. Known as a “nem
COMMENTS