Barton’s reputation was a factor, says Bond

QPR assistant manager Kevin Bond admitted that Joey Barton’s reputation “doesn’t do him any favours” after the midfielder was sent off during the 1-0 defeat against Leicester.

Jamie Vardy scored the winner at Loftus Road, where Barton was dismissed for the third time in his Rangers career.

He was booked following an 85th-minute challenge and then quickly shown another yellow card, seemingly for dissent.

Bond said he was unsure exactly what had happened but suggested Barton needed to tread more carefully.

“I haven’t had the chance to see it and I haven’t had the chance to have a conversation with Joey,” he explained.

“It looked pretty innocuous but the referee’s given it and Joey seemed to be the focus of a lot of things.

“He’d already had a conversation with the referee and seemed to be a focal point, and in his position he can’t.

“I do think he has to be more careful [than other players]. Everyone is aware of Joey and the crowd try to wind him up, and he needs to be careful.”

Rangers dominated and had appeals for a penalty turned down before ending the match with 10 men.

But Bond conceded: “I couldn’t say the referee missed a blatant one.

“We didn’t get ahead when we were playing well and then the goal turned the match on its head.

“It showed the importance for us of keeping a clean sheet, because we’re not scoring as much as we would like.”

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