Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli was reportedly less than happy with the chilly conditions in the North-East of England at the weekend when his team played Sunderland.

The Italy international spent the majority of the match at the Stadium of Light on the bench, but did make a cameo appearance in the second half of the Reds' 1-0 win over the Black Cats.

However, according to the Daily Mail, it appears that the weather was mainly on Balotelli's mind when leaving the ground. He's quoted as saying: "This is the fucking coldest city I've ever fucking played in."

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who played for Sunderland before joining Liverpool in 2013, has admitted that he failed to warn his teammate about the chill.

"I didn't warn Balotelli about how cold it was because otherwise he would have been worried before the game," Mignolet is quoted as saying. "It certainly was cold and windy out there. Afterwards, though, he could smile about the three points like the rest of us."

Liverpool are currently eighth in the Premier League table, five points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester United.