'Shut up!' Liverpool striker Balotelli tells critics

Mario Balotelli goes on an angry rant, telling followers to SHUT-UP!

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli hit out at his detractors in an angry video published on his Instagram account late on Tuesday, telling them: "Shut up!"

Speaking directly to camera in the short clip, he says: "Do you know me? Did you ever talk to me, personally? Do you know what I've been through in my life? You just saw me play football on the pitch, so man, shut up!"

An accompanying caption read: "For those with an easy judge (sic) without knowing s*** about others. Good night #idowhatiwant-remember!"

The 24-year-old Italy international may have been responding to criticism of his performances since arriving at Anfield from AC Milan in a £16 million ($23.5 million, 22.1 million euros) deal last August.

Signed partly to offset the departure of Luis Suarez to Barcelona, Balotelli has scored only four goals in 20 appearances in all competitions and has found the net only once in the Premier League.