Newcastle´s Barton sweats on referee´s report

Newcastle United's Joey Barton was left waiting Tuesday on the contents of referee Steve Bennett's match report to see if he faced fresh disciplinary action after he was caught up in new controversy.

During the course of Monday's 2-0 win at home to Aston Villa, a result that lifted Newcastle off the bottom of the Premier League table, the midfielder seemed to flick a hand in the face of opposing striker Gabriel Agbonlahor.

Bennett appeared to have a quiet word with Barton, who moments before the incident had been booked, but it was not clear if the referee had seen his gesture towards Agbonlahor.

Barton is playing under ther threat of a six-match suspended ban. This follows his return to action three games ago after serving six games of a 12-game ban imposed after a training ground incident involving former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo.

The remaining part of the ban will come into force should Barton be dismissed for an offence of violent conduct before the end of next season.

Both Villa manager Martin O'Neill and Newcastle assistant Chris Hughton played down the incident after Monday's match at St James' Park but the Football Association said they were still considering action.

“It will be a question of establishing whether the referee saw it and dealt with it at the time,” a spokesman for the governing body explained on Tuesday.

“If he didn't, the procedure would be to get the footage of the incident and ask the referee for his views.”

If Bennett says he dealt with the incident at the time, no further action will be taken.

Barton recently served 74 days in prison for assaulting a 16-year-old boy.