Referee and VAR confirmed for Everton vs. Liverpool – Coote at Goodison AGAIN

Liverpool’s trip to Goodison Park will see David Coote return to the VAR booth to oversee the action, nearly four years after famously missing Jordan Pickford’s challenge on Virgil van Dijk.

Jurgen Klopp‘s side will make the short trip across Stanley Park on April 24, a fixture that is crucial at both ends of the table.

Andy Madley will referee the Merseyside Derby, with Coote appointed VAR for the Wednesday evening kickoff.

Coote’s appointment makes his past transgressions unavoidable, as he is at Stockley Park for a Goodison derby for the first time since that incident in 2020.

That incident, of course, resulted in Van Dijk’s season ending prematurely via a cruel and reckless challenge from Pickford, which Coote neglected to check as he thought an offside offence nullified what happened next.

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Michael Oliver, referee that day, later admitted that he should have sent Pickford off, as he and Coote “got sucked too much” into checking for the offside.

This is the second time this season that Coote has been involved in the Merseyside derby having been appointed as VAR in the reverse fixture at Anfield in October, which Liverpool won 2-0.

Lee Betts will act as Coote’s assistant, while Simon Hooper is the fourth official at Goodison Park.

Finally, Harry Lennard and Nick Hopton have been named to assist Madley for the Premier League clash.

Madley has overseen 14 Liverpool fixtures throughout his career to date and the Reds are undefeated in that run, with the 4-1 win over Luton the most recent.