Joey Barton has a long and interesting history with Manchester City. From playing for them to stubbing his cigar out on one of their youth players to attempting to beat up half the team when he played for QPR, it's all happened. And Barton doesn't think they'll win the league this season.
To refer to Joey Barton as a controversial footballer is akin to saying that Lionel Messi is okay, Jurgen Klopp can sometimes let his emotions be known or referees get a bit of stick on Twitter.
The midfielder kicked off all of his controversy during his time at Manchester City where he famously put his cigar out on a youth player, broke someone's leg in a driving accident, assaulted a 15 year-old football fan, arrested on suspicion of beating up a taxi driver and hit a teammate.
Barton was sent off in the match before attempting to attack Carlos Tevez and Vincent Kompany on his way off the pitch. Image: PA
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Years later he would of course end up trying to beat up half the City side as the Citizens played QPR on the last day of the season with the Etihad side trying to win the league and Barton's QPR trying to stay up.
Nowadays Barton is all but retired after his 18 month suspension for betting on football and Pep Guardiola's are flying high at the top of the league but talking to TalkSPORT the 35 year old revealed he didn't fancy his old club for the league, favouring rivals Manchester United:
"I do (fancy United). I do mainly because the manager is a serial winner, he knows how to win.
"Also I think when the cold weather comes and the fixture congestion comes, I think Manchester United have got the physicality to deal with it.
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"If you remember last year City started like a house on fire and then the cold snap comes in. Them South Americans, I'm not too sure they like it when it gets cold here."
Jose Mourinho will be pretty happy with how his team have started the season. Image: PA
City started the season last year by winning their first 10 games of the season, in all competitions, before a draw with Celtic in the Champions League halted their momentum and they fell away to finish third.
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Pep Guardiola's side are ahead of Jose Mourinho's team on goal difference after beating Crystal Palace 5-0 on the weekend and both Manchester sides have only dropped two points this season.
Who will win the league?
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Manchester City, Joey Barton, Manchester United, Premier League