Barton ‘sorry’ but insists red card was wrong

Joey Barton has apologised to QPR’s players and supporters after being sent off in the 3-2 defeat at Manchester City.

But the controversial midfielder also insisted he felt he did not deserve to be dismissed and revealed he tried to get a City player sent off as well.

Barton is facing the potential of a nine-match ban for his quite ridiculous behaviour during the second half of his side’s loss.

Having already been red-carded once this season, Barton will automatically serve a four-match suspension for elbowing Carlos Tevez in the throat.

However, his reactions after that, including blatantly kneeing eventual match-winner Sergio Aguero, seem certain to land the midfielder in further trouble, with another three matches, and associated add-ons leaving Barton facing a lengthy ban.

“Can do nothing but apologise to the players and the fans. Still don’t think its a sending off. Tried to take 1 of their players with me...” Barton wrote on Twitter.

“The head was never gone at any stage, once I’d been sent off, one of our players suggested I should try to take 1 of theirs with me...”

“...Never worked but god loves a trier. #reallynotbother #wearesafe.

“Still not my proudest moment but who gives a ****, we are safe..........and that is all that matters.”

The score was 1-1 at the time, with Djibril Cisse cancelling out Pablo Zabaleta’s opener for City, then Jamie Mackie gave the visitors a shock lead after Barton’s dismissal.

Although stoppage-time strikes from Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero handed City the win and the Premier League title, QPR’s safety was ensured following Bolton’s draw at Stoke.

QPR manager Mark Hughes accepted that the moment his side knew they were safe quite possibly turned out to be the moment upon which the title destination turned.

“The one criticism is that we understood we were safe just prior to their winning goal,” he said. “Maybe we just switched off.

“I have never been involved in anything like that but Roberto would have to admit he has been lucky (yesterday).”

A number of players former City boss Hughes signed were part of the Blues’ winning team yesterday.