Barton faces possible rap

JOEY BARTON’S tortured career could be set to take another turn for the worse after the Football Association confirmed it will study video footage of a scuffle with Shaun Maloney, the Aston Villa forward, during Saturday’s match at Villa Park.

Television images appeared to show Barton throwing Maloney to the ground, although Lee Mason, the referee, took no action at the time. The FA can still impose retrospective sanctions on Barton if the incident is mentioned in Mason’s match report.

Barton, who has a notorious history of on and off-field violence, is currently on police bail for two separate assault charges.