Barton: I went down easy

The clubs drew 0-0 at St James' Park on the opening day of the Premier League season, with all the attention on controversies involving Barton.

First Arsenal's Alex Song stamped on the back of his leg, incensing Barton, then the controversial midfielder dragged Gervinho to his feet after perceiving the Ivorian to have dived in the penalty area.

That led to a fracas involving several players, with Arsenal debutant Gervinho connecting with a slap on Barton.

There was a delay before the Magpies star, involved in a Twitter spat with the club's hierarchy in recent weeks, went to the floor clutching his head.

When he got to his feet he claimed a punch had been thrown - and with Gervinho seeing red, got away with a booking.

Barton tweeted: "I went down easy, no doubt. Still, you can't raise your hands... What do I have to gain by standing and trading with him? NOWT.

"Standing and defending myself has only got me in trouble before. What do you want me to do, hit him back? Or hope the ref keeps him on [the pitch]?

"If he doesn't dive then the incident doesn't happen. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved, but diving and trying to win a penalty is s***. Needs stamping out.

"I train all summer to have him cheat us out of a hard-earned point? It's not on. Diving should be a three-game ban. Respect the game.

"If there's contact, go down - but don't blatantly try to con the ref. Refs have it hard enough."

He then aimed a barb at former Newcastle striker-turned-Match of the Day pundit Shearer, who said Barton deserved a red card.

Barton tweeted: "Bad shirt, shoes and views from Shearer again. Sort it out slaphead..."

The pair fell out during Shearer's brief spell as Newcastle manager, and were involved in a furious dressing-room row that resulted in the midfielder's banishment from the first team.

Barton's comments about a Newcastle hero could damage his standing with the fans, who have been largely supportive of the player following a row with the club's owners that resulted in his being transfer-listed.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said both players should have been sent off - or neither.

"I don't understand the red card," said Wenger. "I am 100 per cent sure the referee did not see what happened.

"I think he has his back turned to the incident. If he had seen it, he would have sent both of them off, or nobody.

"Why does Joey Barton go over there and grab him up? It is a yellow to the two or a red to the two, and what happened is not serious.

"Will I appeal? I will have a good look at it but I am tempted to say yes."

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew backed his under-fire star, whom the club are keen to get rid of - even offering him up as a free transfer recently.

"[Gervinho] dived, there is no doubt about that," Pardew said. "Joey's reaction was to chastise him and then there was a tussle. But then he slapped him and you can't do that.

"[Earlier] I think Joey was calm, but Song did stamp on him and that was disappointing. I had [Song] as a player at Charlton and that was out of character for him.

"Joey was incensed. When a fellow professional dives, that gets your back up. Joey is an opinionated guy. He has opinions and expressed them."

Barton said the Cameroonian should be lambasted for the stamp, which was perpetrated with Barton on his hands and knees looking the other way - and added that he had proven he is giving everything for the club.

"Imagine if I'd stamped on Song - all the numptys would be out calling for a public execution. What, 'cause it's on me it's alright?" he tweeted.

"Great result and performance from the lads. On a personal note, hopefully today proves my commitment - if it was ever in doubt."