Gary Neville clashes with anti-vax former Liverpool striker - 'Are you OK?'

Gary Neville has found himself in a spat with Rickie Lambert after the ex-Liverpool forward accused him of aiding the Labour Party in "destroying our way of life".

Since retiring in 2017 , Lambert has followed in the footsteps of fellow Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier, delving into the strange world of internet conspiracy theories. The 42-year-old has been in the news for spreading misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine and making claims that speaking positively to water can purify it.

Now, he's targeting Neville , who is one of the main advocates for the establishment of an independent soccer regulator, a concept born out of the failed European Super League breakaway attempts. The Football Governance Bill was reintroduced by the government in July, having not made it through parliament before the General Election.

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The proposal made headlines over the weekend as UEFA expressed concerns that its implementation could result in "government interference" in soccer. The governing body of European soccer has threatened to exclude England from Euro 2028 unless it receives certain assurances.

Neville came out of social media silence to dismiss fears surrounding the proposed independent football regulator. He tweeted: “I don’t post much anymore but feel the need to on this subject. Please don’t be fooled by the scaremongering regarding the independent regulator and England losing tournaments. They will do anything to stop it coming in and are happy to create misinformation and apply soft power in the right places in the meantime.

"The Regulator will have no impact at all on the quality of the Premier League yet will importantly protect the wider game and pyramid. England will also not lose hosting tournaments, but even if they did it’s more important that we protect the entirety of English club football than getting a tournament every 50 years."

His statements provoked a strong reaction from Lambert who seemed to link the regulator with Labour's choice to strip some pensioners of their winter fuel payments. "It’s becoming clear exactly who and what you are @GNev2," he replied.

"Instead of using the footballing community to come together and stop what is being implemented onto us, you are using your position to try and persuade them to accept the corrupt, cowardly shadow government's plan to destroy our way of life and society."

Neville shot back with a simple: "You ok Rickie?" complete with a couple of crying laughing emojis. But Lambert wasn't having it, replying: "I'm good Gary, you seen what your mate's doing to this country? Why would you let them anywhere near our game?"

It seems Lambert was alluding to British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who sat down for a cosy chat with Neville known to back Labour amid the scenic Lake District vistas last June. It's a move that seemingly paid off for Labour in its bid to unseat the Tories, the interview being part of an election broadcast by the party.