The former Liverpool attacker Ryan Babel could find himself in hot water following a sexist remark to a Twitter user, subsequently refusing to “argue with a girl about football” and posting what he claims to be his personal phone number.

Babel, now playing with Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates, told the user to “grow some tits instead of speaking about football” after she questioned why he disliked the Real Madrid manager, Rafael Benítez.

The 28-year-old former Holland international followed up the comment with a succession of tweets attempting to defend himself. “At least let your brother or your boyfriend make the comment then we can argue,” he wrote, adding: “Look i’m not this guy anymore who should be careful what i say, regardless if its childish or not.. I’m coming for you if i feel like it.”

This is not the first time that Babel has become embroiled in a Twitter spat. He was fined £10,000 by the Football Association in 2011 after responding to Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford by posting a mocked-up photo on his Twitter site of the referee Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt.