Joey Barton 'attacked outside a Liverpool nightclub', say reports
Joey Barton 'attacked outside a Liverpool nightclub', say reports• Barton believed to have been punched in the face
• Police are holding two 21-year-olds in custody
Joey Barton was attacked outside a nightclub in Liverpool in the early hours of Monday morning, police have confirmed.
The Queens Park Rangers midfielder is believed to have been punched in the face during the incident outside Garlands nightclub in Liverpool city centre.
Merseyside police were called to Eberle Street at 5.30am following reports of an altercation outside the club. A 29-year-old man, believed to be Barton, suffered injuries to his face and voluntarily left the scene.
Police are currently holding two 21-year-olds in custody on suspicion of a public order offence.
"Merseyside Police were called to Eberle Street in Liverpool city centre at 5.30am this morning following reports of an altercation," said a spokeswoman for Merseyside Police. "On arrival officers found a 29-year-old man who had sustained injuries to his face. The man left the scene voluntarily. Two 21-year-old men from the L13 area were arrested at the scene for a public order offence. They are currently in police custody."
A photograph of the incident has been posted on Twitter, in which an apparently shirtless Barton is shown being restrained by a policeman and a woman.
Barton was recently banned for 12 matches after being sent off on the last day of the Premier League season during QPR's defeat at Manchester City.