Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has revealed a death threat sent to him by a football fan on social media.

The centre-back's form has been under scrutiny of late after he was hauled off in the first half of the Reds' 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month.

The 28-year-old was due to start Saturday's 3-0 victory over Huddersfield Town, but was withdrawn from the lineup with injury.

According to The Mirror, Lovren, who is father to Elene and Josip with wife Anita, shared a post sent to him from a football supporter, who threatened to "murder" his family.

The Instagram message read: "I'm gonna murder ur family u Croatian p****".

The former Southampton defender reacted on social media by saying: "I don't mind when people talk shit about me, its says more about them! But I can not ignore when my family is threatened. I just can't and won't accept that. Disgusting."

Lovren has struggled for consistency at Liverpool since his 2014 switch from St Mary's.