Under-fire Premier League referee David Coote has rejected claims he discussed giving a yellow card to a player before a match.

Coote is already suspended after a video showing him insulting Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp leaked online. A clip of the 42-year-old snorting a white powder then later emerged.

The Athletic have revealed Coote is now being investigated by the Football Association after The Sun claimed he had discussed handing out a booking to Ezgjan Alioski to a friend before a game between Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion in October 2019.

A statement from Coote reads: “I strongly refute these false and defamatory allegations.

“Whatever issues I may have had in my personal life, they have never affected my decision making on the field. I have always held the integrity of the game in the highest regard, refereeing matches impartially and to the best of my ability.”

A spokesperson for the FA says the allegations are “very serious” and the matter is being looked into “as a matter of urgency”.

Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) also told Sky Sports: “The facts need to be established in light of these very serious allegations.

“We adopt a zero-tolerance approach to any breach of our Integrity Code of Conduct, which is signed by all match officials on an annual basis.

“PGMOL Board is committed to taking the appropriate action should any breach of that Code be proven.

“David Coote remains suspended and subject to an ongoing disciplinary process by PGMOL, separate to the investigation into this matter which will be carried out independently by The FA.”

“We will be making no further comment at this stage.”

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