HMRC has filed a High Court petition that could result in former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher being declared bankrupt over an alleged unpaid tax bill. The action is significant because HMRC says bankruptcy petitions are used only as a last resort after attempts to help people manage tax debts, although it would not comment on Carragher’s individual case.

The petition was filed in London on Wednesday, according to the report, which said Carragher’s management had been approached for comment. Carragher, 38, works as a football pundit for Sky Sports and CBS Sports, appears on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, and is listed at Companies House as a director of four companies and an LLP member; the report does not state the amount allegedly owed.