BLACKBURN Rovers match-winner Jason Roberts again fired a pointed message towards boss Sam Allardyce – but admitted he isn’t taking a Spurs start for granted on Saturday.
The out-of-favour striker came off the substitutes bench to score the winner for the second time in four days as Rovers defeated Newcastle United 2-1 to move them towards mid-table.
Roberts, whose angry celebration was a clear sign of his continued discontent at Ewood Park, scored the 82nd-minute winner after Morten Gamst Pedersen’s early opener had been cancelled out by Andy Carroll.
Morten Gamst Pedersen
It was no less than Rovers deserved after a display full of heart, passion and ability, but Roberts admits he has no clue whether he has earned a start against Spurs on Saturday.
He said: “I have a great record against Newcastle.
“Like I said last week when I am on the pitch, it is no surprise, my goal scoring record speaks for itself. I score goals.
“I think I have almost a goal every time I play against them.
“You would think people would know that but it is good to get on the pitch and score again.
“I thought Newcastle played well, a lot of respect for them, but it was a committed performance from the boys.
“I don’t pick the team. Like I said other people take the responsibility and make the decisions. My goal scoring record though…..
Jason Roberts
“Second top goal scorer last season and well on the way this year.
“I am totally comfortable, I don’t pick the team but when I play you see what I do.
“It is no problems for me. I just come on and do what I do.”
For Allardyce it was a sweet victory on his first return to St James’ Park as a manager, having been relieved of the position two years ago.
Newcastle
* 26 Krul
* 02 Colocciniyellow card
* 03 Jose Enrique
* 06 Williamson
* 12 Simpson
* 04 Nolanyellow card
* 07 Barton
* 18 Gutierrez
* 24 Tioteyellow card (Routledge 88)
* 09 Carroll
* 23 Ameobi (Ranger 46)
Substitutes
* 33 Soderberg,
* 05 Campbell,
* 27 Taylor,
* 10 Routledge,
* 17 Smith,
* 11 Lovenkrands,
* 30 Ranger
Blackburn
* 01 Robinson
* 04 Sambayellow card
* 05 Givet
* 06 Nelsen
* 27 Salgado
* 28 Jonesyellow card
* 39 Chimbonda
* 07 Emerton
* 12 Pedersen
* 09 Kalinic (Roberts 52 yellow card)
* 23 Hoilettyellow card (Dunn 84)
Substitutes
* 13 Bunn,
* 31 Hanley,
* 08 Dunn,
* 26 Goulon,
* 10 Diouf,
* 30 Roberts,
* 41 Diouf
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Newcastle’s Joey Barton has accepted a violent conduct charge after punching Morten Gamst Pedersen at St James’ Park and apologised to the Blackburn player.
Midfielder Barton, 28, will be banned for the Premier League games against Fulham, Bolton and Chelsea.
“I would like to apologise to [Magpies boss] Chris Hughton, my team-mates, our fans and of course to Morten Gamst Pedersen and Blackburn,” Barton said.
The Football Association acted after referee Mike Jones missed the incident.
However, the official subsequently assessed video replays, in which Barton appeared to strike Norwegian Pedersen in the midriff, to decide if the offence would have warranted a red card if he had seen it.
“I fully accept that I was in the wrong on this occasion and accept the charge that the Football Association have brought against me,” Barton added.
“I hold my hands up, I reacted badly to the situation on Wednesday night and I deeply regret it.
“I have been working very hard to keep that side of my game under control and I think it has showed in the way I have been able to get on and enjoy my football this season.
“I look forward to trying to get back into the team once my suspension is over and helping the club maintain its good start to the season.”
Barton will be available for selection to Newcastle manager Chris Hughton for his side’s trip to West Brom on 5 December.
At full-time in Newcastle’s 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park, Hughton, Blackburn counterpart Sam Allardyce and Pedersen would not be drawn on the incident.
But on Thursday, after viewing television footage, Hughton warned that Barton’s controversial reputation would heighten attention on the case.
“I have seen it again and I am aware that he has raised his hands,” he stated.
“But I am also very conscious that because it’s Joey Barton, there will be far more made of it than any other individual.”
Also speaking on Thursday, Blackburn assistant boss Neil McDonald agreed with the suggestion that it was a “full-bloodied punch”.
“It was unprovoked as well, which probably makes it worse,” McDonald added.
Barton, who has won one cap for England, has been involved in several high-profile incidents, including an assault on French midfielder Ousmane Dabo when both players were at Manchester City.
Barton was jailed for six months in 2008 after admitting common assault in a separate case.
He has played an important part in the Newcastle’s rise to fifth in the table, featuring in every minute of the newly-promoted side’s top-flight campaign.
Defeat at home to Blackburn ended a run of three consecutive league wins for the Magpies.
Pedersen had given Rovers the lead after only three minutes, and although Andy Caroll levelled for the hosts, Jason Roberts hit an 82nd minute winner as the visitors ended Newcastle’s run of three consecutive league wins.
Joey Barton could find himself in trouble with the Football Association after he appeared to punch the Blackburn midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen in Newcastle’s 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park last night.
Barton lashed out at Pedersen with a blow to his ribs that knocked the Norway international to the ground.
The referee Michael Jones did not punish Barton after the incident, which could leave the player open to retrospective action from the FA.
The Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce opted not to give his thoughts on the matter after the game, instead leaving the FA to deal with it.
“I’m not really going to talk about that because I don’t want to detract from our victory,” he said. “Whoever will see it will see it and do whatever needs to be done.”
Pedersen offered a similar view, adding: “You saw the pictures. I don’t want to speak much about it now.”
Sam Allardyce exerted a measure of revenge on Newcastle United during an evening in which the Blackburn’s manager tactical ingenuity not only cancelled out Andy Carroll’s latest goal but brought his hitherto high flying former employers firmly back down to earth.
Allardyce invested the sizeable pay-off he received after being sacked here in a magnificent Spanish villa, named “Casa St James”.
Back at St James’ Park for the first time since his departure nearly three years ago he configured Blackburn in a manner clearly designed to stick a metaphorical two fingers towards Newcastle.
The visitors arrived in a 3-4-2-1 formation which frequently morphed into a 3-6-1 and sometimes a 5-4-1. Quite apart from squeezing the life, and width, out of Chris Hughton’s midfield, this system succeeded in forcing Carroll extremely deep in search of the ball. On those rare occasions when it did break for Newcastle in the box Blackburn’s Christopher Samba tidied up.
Mounting home frustration was encapsulated by Joey Barton who was lucky to stay on the pitch following an off-the-ball incident involving Morten Gamst Pedersen which could yet attract retrospective Football Association sanctions.
It did not help that Hughton’s side conceded an early goal. Cheik Tioté has been looking a strong contender for smartest buy of the season but, in the third minute, Newcastle’s former FC Twente midfielder suffered a concentration lapse. Meeting the fallout from Pedersen’s free kick, Tioté dwelt disastrously in possession, allowing Brett Emerton to seize the ball before playing in the on-rushing Pedersen who swept a tightly angled shot beyond the goalkeeper Tim Krul.
After that the diligence displayed by Allardyce’s supremely defensively organised and cleverly counterattacking charges will surely have matched that of the most assiduous employee at Venky’s, the Indian chicken and egg producers in serious negotiations about a possible takeover at Ewood Park.
“For the team to apply themselves so well to the system we came up with to stop Newcastle was fantastic,” said Allardyce. “We shut them down from the front.”
With one exception. Shortly after half-time Carroll for once stole in front of Samba to connect with a free-kick from Barton – who was generally well minded by Pascal Chimbonda – and directed a magnificent header past the otherwise under-employed Paul Robinson. It was Carroll’s seventh league goal of the season and its imperious execution encapsulated some of the reasons why the England manager Fabio Capello is prepared to include a striker presently on bail and carrying much unsavoury off-field baggage in the next national squad.
Shortly afterwards Barton was perhaps fortunate to escape a sending-off in the wake of an off-the-ball incident in which the Newcastle player suddenly jabbed Pedersen in the ribs, prompting the Norwegian’s immediate collapse. Pedersen quite possibly made the most of it but, had the referee seen it, he would surely have brandished a red card.
“I don’t want to detract from our win by talking about it but whoever sees it will do what needs to be done,” said Allardyce.
With Mike Jones having apparently missed the altercation the Football Association is likely to view the footage and could yet suspend Barton.
“Somebody has mentioned this to me but I didn’t see it,” said Hughton. “It was a very physical game though.”
Jason Roberts subjected Newcastle to his own form of punishment, the powerful Blackburn substitute beat Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson to a long ball and lashed the winner beneath Krul.
“Disappointing,” said Hughton. “Very disappointing.”