Claims have been made that a police officer threatened Watford ace Troy Deeney's wife with pepper spray outside a nightclub after a video showing the confrontation appeared online.

The Hornets captain is understood to have been punched inside Birmingham’s Levana Bar on Saturday night after turning down persistent requests for a photograph.

READ MORE: Watford won't take action against Troy Deeney after nightclub incident

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In a piece published in the Daily Mail over the weekend, Deeney apparently obliged numerous selfie requests that evening but took issue when one lad kept taking pictures and surreptitiously recorded video of the striker sipping his drink.

It was reported that the Watford striker grabbed the phone and deleted the video. The man allegedly responded by throwing a punch, an action which Deeney apparently did not react to.

More blows were landed and the melee grew before Deeney and several others were marched out of the club by bouncers.

Outside a police officer brandished a pepper spray canister inches from his face while telling him to calm down, although reports claim the pepper spray was initially pointed at Deeney's wife and so he stepped between them to protect her.

Deeney, 28, briefed club officials at Vicarage Road early on Sunday morning about the incident but it is understood they will not be taking further action.

A police enquiry into the incident is ongoing. No arrests have yet been made.

Watford's top scorer had been enjoying a night out in his home city hours after the 2-0 defeat at Manchester United.