Mateo Kovacic was heard calling match referee David Coote the "worst ref ever" during Chelsea's crushing defeat to West Brom on Saturday.
The Blues actually took the lead in the first half but the game was turned on its head by Thiago Silva's red card before the break.
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His decision to send off Silva angered fans on social media, with Chelsea midfielder Kovacic also expressing his frustration towards him.
After picking up a yellow card, Kovacic said: "Worst ref ever" in an angry outburst.
One Twitter user reacted to Coote's showing by saying: "Our standard of referee is abysmal considering we're the 'most competitive' league in the world."
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A second tweeted: "And he's f**king correct."
A third added: "He is not wrong at all. Amateur level refs!"
Chelsea remain in fourth place with West Ham, Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton all set to play in the next few days.
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The race for the final Champions League place is hotting up.
Featured Image Credit: Premier League/BT SportTopics: Football News, Chelsea, Football, Mateo Kovacic, Premier League