'Mike Dean is the most arrogant fool you will ever see': Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor hits out at the Premier League referee and claims he tells players to 'get lost' if they approach him on the pitch

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Former Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor slammed Premier League referee Mike Dean as 'the most arrogant fool you will ever see'.

The official sent off West Brom manager Slaven Bilic at half-time in their 5-2 defeat by Everton after the Croatian boss aired his unhappiness at some of his first half decisions.

Kieran Gibbs was sent off for the away side and an angered Bilic confronted Dean but he also saw red. But Agbonlahor sympathised with the Baggies' boss and hit out at the referee's 'arrogance'. 

Gabriel Agbonlahor has slammed Mike Dean as the 'most arrogant fool you will ever meet'

The official sent of West Brom manager Slavn Bilic at half-time during their defeat by Everton 

'Mike Dean is the most arrogant fool you will ever see… in not just refereeing but in life itself,' he told talkSPORT.

'I've never met anyone like him. You can ask any Premier League or ex-Premier League player that has played in a game with him as a referee. He's the most arrogant person.

'You try and talk to him as a person on the pitch and he will tell you to get lost. He will say 'don't talk to me'. He is the most arrogant person and when I saw the West Brom manager [Slaven Bilic] try and go over and speak to him, I felt his pain.

Bilic was unhappy with some of the referee's first half decisions after Kieran Gibbs was sent off

'He's frustrated about something we don't know about and you want to talk to him, just speak to him like other refs do.

'Red card? What are you sending him off for? He didn't swear at you. He didn't say anything bad. Is that arrogance from Mike Dean?

'I think he needs looking at because [you need to] have some respect for the managers and have some respect for the players on the pitch. I've never met someone so arrogant in my life.'

Bilic's confrontation with Dean was picked up by the TV cameras, with the manger overhead saying: 'Check the foul, check the foul. And the red card.'

'Go away, you go away,' Dean replied, pointing at another irked member of Bilic’s coaching staff.

Agbonlahor said Dean tells players to 'get lost' if they try to approach him on the pitch

'So I can’t talk to you? I can’t talk to you?' Bilic asked as the three officials headed towards the tunnel. 'Next time kill us. Now it’s done, you could also kill us,' he said before finally walking away.'

BT Sport pundit Joe Cole said Bilic did not deserved to be sent off and blamed Dean for the escalation of the situation.

He said: 'As a referee you need to understand human beings. He should have said: "Look Slaven, I'm sorry, I can't talk now you need to go away" and his whole demeanour would've changed. But instead he's tried to give him the cold shoulder and shrug him off and walk away. I personally blame Mike Dean for that situation.'

Fellow pundit Owen Hargreaves agreed, adding: 'I think he has the right to ask the question. He’s saying check the foul, check the red card. He didn’t swear, he wasn’t rude. I think he just wanted to know. I’m not sure he deserved to be sent off.’

Agbonlahor went on to share his own story of clashing with Dean during his Villa days.

'There was one game and I've had a go at him. I've said, as you do. A few swear words.

'Mike, come on. How is that a foul? You're having one you are, Mike'.

'He was like, "yeah, you're having one, how can you talk as well? Look at you, you're having one." He's got that arrogance about him.'