Nigel Pearson labelled a journalist an "ostrich" in a scathing verbal assault that ended with the Leicester City boss storming out of the press conference.

Shortly after the 3-1 home defeat to Chelsea, Pearson was asked by Ian Baker to elaborate after referring to the "the amount of criticism and negativity" levelled at his team this season.

However, the Foxes boss, whose side sit one point above the relegation zone, did not take too kindly to the remark and proceeded to verbally bash the reporter in question.

Read the full transcript below:

Baker: What criticism are you talking about?

Pearson: Have you been on holiday for six months? Have you been away for six months?

Baker: I am not quite sure what specific criticism you are referring to?

Pearson: I think you must have been either head in the clouds or away on holiday or reporting on a different team because if you don't know the answer to that question your question is absolutely unbelievable the fact you do not understand where I am coming from. If you don't know the answer to that question then I think you are an ostrich. Your head must be in the sand. Is your head in the sand? Are you flexible enough to get your head in the sand? My suspicion would be no.

Baker: Probably not.

Pearson: I can, you can't. You can't. Listen you have been here often enough and for you to ask that question, you are either being very, very silly or you are being absolutely stupid, one of the two because for you to ask that question, I am sorry son, you are daft.

Baker: There hasn't been much harsh criticism of the players.

Pearson: You are wrong. No, you are wrong. You have been in here, I know you have so don't give that crap with me, please don't give that crap with me. I will smile at you because I can afford to smile at you. Now do you want to ask a different question or do you want to ask it differently. Come on, ask it. Ask it or are you not capable?

Baker: I just don't know what you, erm...

Pearson: You don't know. What's erm?

Baker: I don't know how you've taken that question.

Pearson: Well you must be very stupid. I'm sorry.

Marc Albrighton had fired the hosts into a deserved 1-0 half-time lead, but the Londoners drew level through Didier Drogba shortly after the break.

Captain John Terry sent the visitors ahead with 11 minutes remaining, before Ramires sealed the win late on to give Chelsea a 13-point lead at the summit.