The Prime Minister has hit back at comments made by former professional footballer Joey Barton after the ex-athlete suggested that women pundits should not commentate on men's football. 

Barton has been lashed for a , including a series of tweets where he bizarrely compared football pundit Eniola Aluko and fellow ITV broadcaster Lucy Ward to serial killers Fred and Rose West.

The comments were condemned by ITV and many prominent figures in football and the pair are now reportedly seeking 'legal advice' over Barton's diatribe. 

Today, Prime Minister suggested it is 'completely ridiculous' to exclude women from football punditry and said he would love for one of his daughters to grow up to be a commentator.

The Prime Minister said the profession should be 'open to everybody'.

The Prime Minister has hit back at comments made by former professional footballer Joey Barton

Joey Barton has come under fire for social media posts that claim that women 'aren't qualified' to discuss men's football

His comments come after sports minister Stuart Andrew condemned 'dangerous' comments made by former footballer Joey Barton about women football pundits.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Hampshire, he said: 'I listen to all sorts of conversations and they're all great. It shouldn't really matter really, quite frankly.

'I mean, what we care about is the quality of the commentating and... I don't get to watch or listen to as much football as I'd like... but obviously, that's completely ridiculous.

'I have two young girls and I'd love it if one of them wanted to be a football commentator when they grew up but I sadly think that it's unlikely to happen. 

'I've failed to get them into it and support Saints the way I do, but there you go. But yeah, of course it should be open to everybody.

'

Barton has come under fire for social media posts that claim that women 'aren't qualified' to discuss men's football.

His most recent offensive comment was targeted at ex-Chelsea and England star Eniola Aluko and Lucy Ward, a former player turned commentator. 

Former Manchester City and Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has come under fire for sexist social media posts

Now Barton has roped Australian skipper Sam Kerr into the mess, poking fun at a Women's Champions League post featuring the Aussie scoring a goal for Chelsea

The comments were made during their analysis of the third-round match between Crystal Palace and Everton for last Thursday.

Barton disparaged the network for featuring Aluko and Ward in the studio, making a shocking comparison of the duo to notorious criminals Fred and Rose West.

The Wests were guilty of the murder of 12 women and young girls over a span of two decades. 

Earlier this week, former England international Aluko said she had been 'genuinely scared' to leave her house following Barton's remarks and was now abroad.

But Barton has continued his attacks on Aluko, tweeting: 'Cry me a f***ing river… I was waiting for the victim card to be played.

'Eni, sorry luv, you're dreadful as a pundit. Tone deaf, can't count and most importantly you know next to nothing about men's football.

Barton called Aluko and Ward 'the Fred and Rose West of football commentary' after an FA Cup game on ITV - he has now accused Aluko of 'playing the victim card'

Eni Aluko revealed earlier this week she has fled the country amid fears for her safety following recent attacks from Joey Barton

Barton accused Aluko of 'playing the victim card' and continued his assault on her abilities 

He went on to question why Aluko's fellow broadcasters had come to her defence 

'You should have ran off to a desert island after your "Arteta phoning Pep to put in a bid" in nonsense.

'Everyone is laughing at you. Not just me.'

A couple of minutes later, Barton added in another post: 'What surprised me the most is all her colleagues and peers saying she was 'smashing it' to her face.

'Done well to keep a straight face the fella. Someone's a bad baldy tire. Meritocracy rules.'

In a video message on Wednesday, Aluko reacted to Barton's rants, including one that targeted her and Lucy Ward when they appeared on ITV's coverage of the FA Cup third round tie between Crystal Palace and Everton.

Barton claimed the broadcaster had reached a 'new low' and then compared Aluko and Ward to the Wests, who murdered 12 women and young girls over the course of 20 years.

'Now, I'm open and honest and I'm human and I'm more than happy to admit: I've been scared this week,' Aluko said.

'I've genuinely been scared this week.

I didn't leave my house until Friday and I'm now abroad. Because it's really important to say that online abuse has a direct impact on your safety and how you feel and how safe you feel in real life.

'I've felt under threat this week. I've felt like something is going to happen to me. And I don't say that for anyone to feel sorry for me - I say that for people to understand the reality and the impact that hate speech has. 

Aluko seemed to confirm that she has taken legal advice following Barton's comments

ITV denounced Barton's criticism of Aluko and Ward as 'shameful' and 'contemptible' 

'The impact that racism has. The impact that sexism has. The impact that misogyny has on all of us females in the game [and] in sports broadcasting.

'That's the real impact  and it's not an isolated incident, this is now showing up as a culture in the game, from certain fan bases and certain people. 

'They're creating a culture where people don't want to go to work, people don't want to leave their house, people feel under threat.

Obviously there's a big impact on mental health as well.'