Pre‑match jitters over the officiating trio
When the Premier League announced the match officials for Liverpool's trip to Selhurst Park, the reaction on the Kop was immediate. Simon Hooper, a referee who has overseen several contentious Liverpool games, was paired with David Coote on the VAR bench – a combination that has earned a reputation for controversy among Reds fans. Social media threads lit up with speculation, citing previous encounters where Liverpool felt hard‑pressed by questionable calls.
Supporters pointed to three notable incidents from the last season: a doubtful off‑side call against Mohamed Salah, a handball ruling that nullified a late equaliser, and a penalty that was awarded after a lengthy VAR review which many believed should have stood. Those moments helped cement the perception that Hooper and Coote form a “problematic pair” when it comes to Liverpool.
Arne Slot, Liverpool’s new manager, tried to keep the focus on tactics, but the brewing anxiety was palpable in the stadium. Fans waved banners asking for “fair officiating” and even held up signs with the phrase “Give us a clean game”. The stage was set for a match that would be judged as much by the result as by the referees’ performance.
The 71st‑minute penalty saga and its fallout
Early in the game Liverpool took the lead through a crisp Diogo Jota strike in the ninth minute, silencing any early doubts. The balance, however, shifted dramatically in the 71st minute when Palace earned a corner. As the ball swung into the six‑yard box, defender Marc Guehi appeared to be pulled back by Virgil van Dijk, hindering his run on the ball.
Guehi gestured emphatically, and Hooper stopped play, only to wave his hand and signal that play would continue. The decision prompted an immediate VAR review. Coote looked at the footage, but after a brief pause, he signalled to Hooper that no infringement had occurred. The referee’s final whistle confirmed the decision, and the penalty claim was dropped.
The reaction was swift. Palace players and fans expressed outrage, and the incident quickly trended under #VARGate on Twitter. Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett, who has been vocal about VAR’s inconsistencies, slammed the review, calling the outcome "pure garbage" and demanding a review of the protocol surrounding hand‑to‑hand fouls in the box.
To put the controversy in perspective, here are some of the most debated moments involving Hooper and Coote in recent months:
- October 2023: Liverpool vs. Manchester United – a marginal off‑side that cancelled a potential goal.
- January 2024: Liverpool vs. Tottenham – a handball decision that led to a penalty against Liverpool, later overturned on appeal.
- March 2024: Liverpool vs. Chelsea – a VAR‑confirmed penalty that many pundits argued should have been a free‑kick.
Despite the uproar, Liverpool held on to win 1‑0, preserving their position at the top of the Premier League under Slot’s stewardship. The victory marked their sixth win in seven league matches, a strong start that suggests the new manager’s ideas are taking hold.
Yet the match will likely be remembered more for the officiating dispute than for Jota’s early goal. Fans have called for the league to reconsider referee appointments for high‑stakes games, arguing that consistency is essential for the sport’s credibility. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on future Hooper‑Coote assignments, especially when Liverpool’s title challenge intensifies.
Sihle Tana
I am a journalist with a passion for covering daily news in Africa. My work has taken me across the continent, reporting on significant events and stories that impact communities. I strive to bring insightful and comprehensive news coverage to my readers.
lol
i just hope the ref didnt miss something big... i dont wanna see liverpool get robbed again
oh wow. another 'controversial' call against liverpool. next they'll say the ball was too round.
VAR is a joke. 🤦♂️ another day, another injustice. #VARGate
you ever think the whole thing's rigged? Hooper and Coote have been on 7 liverpool games this season and every single one had a 'mistake' that went against us. it's too consistent. the league doesn't want us winning the title, plain and simple. they're scared of the dominance. they've been quietly undermining us since the Klopp era. they don't like how we play, how we win, how we're changing the game. it's not about refs, it's about control. they want a 'balanced' league, not a dominant one. they'll keep doing this until we're dethroned. and then they'll say 'look, it was fair all along'.
It's important to remember that refereeing is an incredibly difficult job under immense pressure. While fans have every right to be frustrated, let's not forget the human element. These officials are making split-second decisions with imperfect information. The VAR system, despite its flaws, is an attempt to reduce error - not eliminate it. We should demand accountability, yes, but also empathy. This isn't a conspiracy. It's a system struggling to keep pace with the speed and intensity of modern football.
i just hope the team stays focused. they've got a big season ahead and this kind of noise shouldn't distract them. keep playing like this and the results will speak for themselves.
you people are so dramatic. we have 1.3 billion people in india and not one of them is crying about a missed penalty. you think football is about fairness? it's about passion. liverpool won. move on. stop acting like your team is the only one that ever gets screwed.
Hooper? Coote? Who?
I must express my profound disappointment in the current state of officiating integrity within the Premier League. The systemic bias against Liverpool Football Club, as evidenced by the repeated, statistically improbable, and ethically questionable decisions rendered by this particular referee duo, constitutes a clear violation of the spirit of fair play. This is not mere incompetence - it is institutionalized malfeasance. The league must be held accountable.
i just watched the replay. van dijk didn't even touch him. guehi just fell. it was clear. no penalty. hooper got it right.
eh, they won. who cares?
The emotional weight fans carry around these decisions speaks to how deeply football is woven into identity. It's not just about the outcome - it's about trust. When the same officials appear repeatedly in high-stakes matches involving a dominant team, perception becomes reality. The league needs transparent, randomized assignment protocols - not just for fairness, but to preserve the game's soul. This isn't about Liverpool. It's about every fan who believes in the integrity of sport.
The VAR protocol is fundamentally flawed because it prioritizes 'correctness' over 'flow' - a concept that even the most elite referees don't fully grasp. The handball interpretation in the box is now governed by a binary algorithm that ignores intent, momentum, and spatial dynamics. This is why we're seeing inconsistent applications - it's not corruption, it's epistemological chaos.
You're all just mad because you lost. Again. Sad.
I've watched every Hooper-Coote game this season. The numbers don't lie - Liverpool have been denied three clear penalties and had two goals wrongly disallowed. It's not bias - it's incompetence. But the bigger issue? The league won't fix it because they need the drama. More viewers. More ads. More money. It's not about fairness. It's about entertainment.
I get why fans are upset, but let's not forget - Liverpool won. And they won with style. That’s what matters. The refs? They’ll be forgotten by next week’s match. Keep pushing forward, lads.
Look, I know it’s frustrating, but this is football. Every team gets a bad call sometimes. Liverpool have had their share - but so have Man City, Chelsea, Arsenal. This isn’t a targeted campaign. It’s the nature of the game. Let’s celebrate the win and focus on the next one. The boys are on fire.
The integrity of the sport is predicated upon consistent application of the Laws of the Game. The current precedent, as demonstrated by the Hooper-Coote officiating team, introduces unacceptable variability into match outcomes. I respectfully urge the Premier League to implement an independent audit of referee assignments in matches involving top-four clubs, with full disclosure of selection criteria.