Cheeky Barton mars City fightback

STUART PEARCE is hoping common sense prevails when the FA review Joey Barton’s latest disciplinary indiscretion.

The 24-year-old’s chequered past includes an assault on a schoolboy Everton fan in a Bangkok bar which resulted in him being sent home in disgrace from an official pre-season competition last summer.

The former Everton trainee from Huyton certainly has history with the Toffees and was taunted by their supporters on Saturday over the jailing of brother Michael for the murder of Anthony Walker.

Given his impetuous nature and the exuberance generated by Micah Richards’ equaliser in the fourth minute of injury time at Goodison Park, there was shock but no real surprise when Barton decided to follow his legitimate celebrations with the visiting fans by cheekily dropping his shorts to offer the home supporters in the Park End a view of his backside.

As crimes go, it was not particularly heinous and came within seconds of a heart-warming gesture to offer his shirt to a disabled City supporter. But, with complaints received and local police involved within minutes, the matter will now be included in referee Andre Marriner’s report, leaving the FA to decide whether to charge Barton with improper conduct.

“Merseyside Police can confirm they are investigating an incident and are currently gathering evidence,” said a police statement.

“The matter has been reported to the referee and will be included in his match report.”

Coming less than a month after Ben Thatcher’s disgraceful attack on Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes which saw him banned for eight matches, it is a problem Pearce and his club could well do without.

Opta Fact: Everton are unbeaten in their last 10 league games, their best run in the Premiership.

Opta Fact: City have won only one of the last 16 Premiership away games and this was only their second draw in this run.