JOEY BARTON is facing the threat of a 10-match ban – or even longer – after he was charged with two acts of violent conduct during Queens Park Rangers’s Premier League game at Manchester City on Sunday, the English FA has announced.

The QPR captain was sent off for elbowing the Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez during the second half of City’s 3-2 victory at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday which will mean an automatic four-match ban.

However, he then kicked out at Sergio Agüero and aimed a headbutt at the City captain Vincent Kompany which could lead to a further five-match ban.

As Barton had already been dismissed when the second two incidents occurred, the FA has ruled they fell outside of the referee Mike Dean’s jurisdiction.

The FA said in a statement: “The FA has today charged Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton in relation to two acts of alleged violent conduct during Sunday’s match against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

“Following the player’s dismissal in the 54th minute of the fixture, there followed two incidents involving Manchester City’s Sergio Agüero and Vincent Kompany. As Barton had already been dismissed, both of these incidents fell outside of the jurisdiction of the referee.”

Barton has up until 6pm this afternoon to respond to the charges.

Barton, meanwhile, took to Twitter on Sunday night to launch an attack on his former Newcastle United manager and the Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer following the former striker’s criticism of his dismissal.

In an expletive-littered rant he called Shearer a “prick”, a “bell” and then added “I have better hair”.

Yesterday morning, he also took a swipe at Shearer’s colleague Gary Lineker.

Shearer condemned the player, who he coached during his short spell managing Newcastle in 2009, during Sunday night’s Match of the Day, prompting Barton’s rant.

“Shearers still on my case . . . 2I know I f***ked up Alan, thanks for stating the obvious,” Barton tweeted.

He added: “Whilst were both stating the obvious about each other, can I just say for the record what a great player u were. Well better me . . .

“But I have a better hair (which is not hard), wear well better shirts on TV and have a personality (something u lack).

“PS My final point, ur a s*** pundit/manager . . .

“I really don’t like that prick, in fact I honestly despise him . . . Goodnight.

“I’d take it off Hansen and @GaryLineker but not from that bell, same fella that stamped on Neil Lennon . . .” He added: “Selfish, boring man him. He can do one . . .

“My favourite memory of him though is when he dropped his spuds when Keano put it on him. Goodnight Al, sleep well matey.”

Barton had previously taken to the social media site to apologise for his red card and claimed that, once he had been sent off, he was trying to “take 1 of theirs with me”.

But Shearer’s BBC co-presenter Lineker believed that his attack was an effort to deflect attention from his behaviour at Manchester City.

“No deflections here mate. Think the fact about 100m people seen it will see to that. Just don’t like how he gets personal . . .” replied Barton on Twitter yesterday morning.

When Lineker responded, to ask Barton whether he was “still kicking out” and still “misunderstood”, it sparked another explosion from the QPR midfielder.

“Do u wanna go there publicly Mr Squeaky Clean,” tweeted Barton, before threatening to expose “skeletons” in Lineker’s “vast closet”.

He added: “mind ur manners Squeaky . . .”

He then signed off by saying: “now back under your stone you odious little toad . . .”

Earlier yesterday Barton had attempted to draw a line under both the sending off and the row with Shearer. He said: “Right enough about yesterday, I apologise to everyone offended by it. If that’s not enough for some, so be it. Life is too short.

“Things happen on the pitch, in the heat of battle sometimes. Not how we always plan them to happen.

“For there are brighter sides to life and I should know because I seen them, but not very often . . .”

Barton tweeted on Sunday night: “Can do nothing but apologise to the players and fans. Still don’t think it is a sending off. Still not my proudest moment but who gives a f**ck. We are safe.

“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.

“Think a few people are forgetting Tevez started the fracas by throwing a punch to the head.”