Premier League footballer Joey Barton has been punched in the face outside a nightclub.
The controversial Queens Park Rangers midfielder was involved in a fight with two men outside Garlands nightclub in Liverpool city centre in the early hours of yesterday morning.
A picture of the incident, apparently showing a shirtless Barton being held back by police and a woman, appeared on Twitter.
A Merseyside Police spokeswoman said: "We were called to Eberle Street in Liverpool city centre at 5.30am following reports of an altercation.
"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."
Ian Taylor, a spokesman for QPR, said: "Joey Barton was involved in an incident in Liverpool city centre.
"Barton was on his way home from a night-out with his girlfriend when two men sang offensive chants and then proceeded to hit the midfielder.
"Police were immediately on the scene and arrested one man.
"Barton decided not to press charges and left the scene with his girlfriend soon after."
News of the fight was widely commented on on Twitter, with the words Joey Barton and Garlands trending on the social media site.
@JoshGore-11, who claimed to have been at the scene, said Barton had "looked in a bad way" after the fight.
The Liverpool-born footballer has a long history of controversy on and off the pitch and has become well-known for his opinionated tweets.
Last month he was given a 12-match ban by the Football Association, after being sent off during QPR's defeat at Manchester City on the final day of the Barclays Premier League season.
He elbowed one Manchester City player, kicked out at a second and attempted to headbutt a third. QPR are also carrying out an internal investigation into the incident.
In 2008, Barton was given a six-month jail term after admitting assault and affray during an incident in Liverpool.
Barton later took to Twitter to confirm he would not press charges, playing down the event and also thanking the police for their help in the matter.
"Not planning on pressing charges as it's not that serious. The police have got better things to do with their time," he wrote. "Can I just say a thanks to the police as they were brilliant."
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