Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has hit out at "disrespectful" Romelu Lukaku following his latest comments.
The Belgian forward said during an interview with Italian TV that he was unhappy with life back at the London club.
Lukaku rejoined the Blues for £97.5million in the summer. However, during an interview with Sky Sport Italy from three weeks ago that only surfaced this week, he said: "I'm not happy with the situation at Chelsea. (Thomas) Tuchel has chosen to play with another system."
The comments were dismissed by Tuchel who said "it brings noise that we don't need".
It has created far from ideal build-up to Sunday's mammoth Premier League clash with Liverpool - a game Lukaku is expected to play no part in with reports of him being dropped from the squad.
Is Tuchel right to discipline Lukaku after his comments? Let us know in the comments
Speaking in the build-up to the Stamford Bridge meeting, former Chelsea striker Hasselbaink slammed Lukaku's behaviour.
"The best thing he can do is not give interviews anymore," Hasselbaink, manager of League One side Burton, said on Sky Sports.
"That is just absolutely bad. Bad bad bad. I like Romelu, he's a magnificent player. When he's playing he gives Chelsea a different dimension.
"When you saw him come in against Villa, the goal he scored. You don't have that at Chelsea or in the world really.
"But what he's said and how he's said it, I don't understand."
Hasselbaink was asked whether Lukaku went about his grievances in the wrong way.
"That's fine, having frustrations that you're not playing. How you react to that is coming in against Villa and making the difference.
"Every player will go through bad spells and have injuries. If you don't come back the way you should, the manager has the right to not play you.
"It's four matches... To spit your dummy out after four matches and go back to Inter because they sorted you out after you came back from Man United... If you wanted to stay at Inter then say 'I don't want to go to Chelsea, give me half my wages and I'll stay'.
"We all know he had to leave Inter because they were in financial trouble.
"If you really love Inter and the club, say 'I'm staying, give me half my wages and I want to stay.'
"That doesn't happen, does it? You're here now. What he's done is really disrespectful."
Tuchel now looks set to hand down sanctions on his star striker, with numerous reports claiming he will not be involved against Jurgen Klopp's side - a vital game as both clubs chase down runaway leaders Manchester City.
Chelsea are already without a clutch of players through Covid-19 and injuries.
They will definitely be without wing-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James while Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen and Thiago Silva are all doubts.
