Chelsea defender David Luiz has reportedly claimed that he was laughing at jeers from Manchester United fans after he was fouled by Rafael da Silva on Sunday.

The Brazilian sparked controversy when he fell to the ground with a smile on his face after Rafael kicked the 26-year-old in the second half of Chelsea's 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, resulting in a red card for the United full-back.

While many have criticised Luiz's reaction, the Brazilian is thought to have told teammates that he was laughing at a jibe from a United fan referring to Luiz's likeness to The Simpsons cartoon character Sideshow Bob, according to The Telegraph.

Following the incident, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson described Luiz's reaction as unprofessional.