Lawyer: Eva Carneiro has 'arguable case' to sue Chelsea for constructive dismissal

The opinions continue to fly in after team doctor Eva Carneiro was reportedly demoted for treating Eden Hazard in the closing moments of Chelsea's 2-2 draw versus Swansea City on Saturday.

Carneiro, along with team physio John Fearn, reportedly had their duties scaled back as a result of the incident, which left Chelsea with only nine players on the pitch and triggered a furious reaction from Jose Mourinho.

Both the Football Medical Association and the Professional Footballers' Association are standing behind Carneiro and Fearn, with the former saying in a statement that pair "acted with integrity and professionalism at all times," while the latter declared in its own statement that the current medical protocol has "worked successfully in past seasons."

Related: Chelsea's Jose Mourinho criticized for handling of medical staff

Nick Wilcox, a lawyer at the specialist employment firm Brahams Dutt Badrick French, also threw his support behind Carneiro on Thursday, saying the criticism has been "disproportionate" and could amount to "public humiliation."

"The employer must not, without reasonable and proper cause, conduct itself in a manner calculated and likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of trust and confidence between employer and employee," Wilcox said, according to the Guardian's David Conn.

Wilcox pointed out Chelsea's conduct was "heavy-handed" given the guidance from the General Medical Council, whose first principle is: "Make the care of your patient your first concern." In other words, Carneiro could have been in breach of her professional duties had she not attended Hazard.

"This does look like an arguable case for constructive dismissal," Wilcox said. "That is the territory you would be investigating as a lawyer if you were acting for her."

One of the few women on a Premier League bench, Carneiro has been a target of sexist abuse in the past. She thanked her supporters via Facebook after the incident.

"I would like to thank the general public for their overwhelming support," Carneiro wrote. "Really very much appreciated."