London: Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton was charged by the English FA on Monday with two acts of alleged violent conduct during Sunday's Premier League match against Manchester City, and could be facing a 10-match ban at the start of next season.
The controversial player was sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez and then kicked Sergio Aguero and tried to head-butt Vincent Kompany before being escorted off the pitch.
An FA statement said: "Following the player's dismissal in the 54th minute of the fixture, there followed two incidents involving Manchester City's Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany. As Barton had already been dismissed, both of these incidents fell outside of the jurisdiction of the referee."
Barton will receive an automatic four-match ban as it was his second dismissal of the season, and could receive three-match suspensions for each of the violent conduct charges.
On top of that, the FA's regulatory panel will have discretionary powers to increase the length of the suspension if the charges are found to be proven.
Barton has until 1700 GMT on Tuesday to respond to the charges.
Playing with 10 men, Rangers took a 2-1 lead, only for City to clinch the title with two late goals in the most dramatic of finales to the Premier League.
Barton has apologised via his Twitter account, saying: "Things happen on the pitch, in the heat of battle sometimes. Not how we always plan them to happen. Can do nothing but apologise to the players and the fans. Still don't think its a sending-off. Tried to take one of their players with me...."
"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."
QPR chairman Tony Fernandes said Barton's future would be reviewed but that the 29-year-old player had been an integral part of the club staying in the Premier League.
"There are experienced people who will come back to me and we'll review the whole situation," Fernandes told the BBC.
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