Joey Barton set to return to action in January

NEWCASTLE United have pencilled in a mid-January return for their controversial midfielder Joey Barton.

That means the player will have been sidelined for nine weeks after picking up a knee ligament injury in the draw with Wigan Athletic at St James’s Park in the middle of last month.

A return to fitness next month would put United’s £5.8m man in with a great chance of making an appearance at his old club Manchester City on January 28, followed by the derby clash with Sunderland at St James’s Park three days later.

United boss Joe Kinnear said: “We have just had Joey’s injury re-assessed and the doctor and physio team tell me we can expect to have him back in the middle of January.

“And now that he has a date to aim for, it will give Joey a big lift.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2008/12/03/joey-barton-set-to-return-to-action-in-january-72703-22394097/

*Another article is here: http://www.goal.com/en/news/700/newcastle/2008/12/03/994940/newcastles-barton-set-for-january-return