Police open investigation as Mario Balotelli suffers racial abuse on Twitter after post about Man United's defeat at Leicester City

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Police are investigating racist abuse targeted at Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli on Twitter.

In a statement Merseyside Police said: 'We can confirm officers are looking into offensive comments made on Twitter about Mario Balotelli earlier today.'

Asked if they were launching an investigation, a Merseyside Police spokesman said 'Yes, we are', adding: 'As far as I am aware there have been no complaints but we have been made aware of it by a number of press inquiries.'

Mario Balotelli received racial abuse in response to this tweet poking fun at Manchester United after their 5-3 defeat at Leicester City on Sunday afternoon

The abuse was triggered by Balotelli's reaction to Manchester United's shock defeat by Leicester.

The Italy forward, part of the Liverpool side which lost 3-1 at West Ham on Saturday, tweeted: 'Man Utd...LOL' in response to United's 5-3 loss at the King Power Stadium.

His tweet was met by a string of racist messages, including one from an account called @CraigSainsbury which read: 'F*** you Mario you f****** n*****. Got eat some bananas and get ebola you dirty monkey.'

Balotelli was on the losing side on Saturday as Liverpool went down 3-1 to West Ham

The account from which the tweet was sent subsequently appeared to have been closed.

Balotelli has been singled out for racist abuse in the past.

He was heckled by Italy supporters during a pre-World Cup training camp in May and was on the receiving end of numerous instances of racist abuse during his time at Inter Milan and, more recently, AC Milan.

Balotelli spoke about the abuse directed at him in an interview with GQ magazine in July.

'They aren't used to seeing people who are different, not white, who act not as rebels but normally,' he said.

Balotelli is shown a yellow card after a clash with West Ham goalkeeper Adrian during Saturday's match

Balotelli unleashes a shot during the match at Upton Park but couldn't prevent Liverpool losing 3-1

'I think what the ignorant people don't like is that people who are different are allowed to act that way.

'These stupid people, they get angry with me, they say horrible things, but I haven't done anything different from other people.

'I have made mistakes, like everyone does, and I have always paid for my mistakes. I think that if I was white maybe some people would still find me irritating or annoying but it wouldn't be the same. Absolutely not.

'Jealousy is a horrible thing, but when this jealousy is towards people who are different from the majority, and who maybe also have more than you, then it becomes anger, it becomes rage, and that's the overt racism.'

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