By James Pearson Last updated: 19th October 2007
Barton: Close to fitness
Sam Allardyce has hinted Joey Barton could make his Newcastle United debut against Tottenham on Monday.
A pre-season broken foot has delayed Barton's Magpies bow following his move from Manchester City.
Barton has been "pestering" Newcastle's medical staff in order to speed up his recovery and Allardyce cannot fault the midfielder's commitment.
"He is almost a nuisance, but the right sort of nuisance, if you see what I mean," explained Allardyce.
"He is training 24/7 and he is always bothering and pestering the staff about what else he can do to maintain his fitness and improve his chances of coming back as quickly as he can.
"He is actually so into getting back into football that he persists in badgering the staff."
Although Barton is keen to build on his one cap for England, the 25-year-old knows he must be playing well at club level before being considered for his country.
"There never has been and never will be an England-only player," he continued.
"You have to play club football and if I do well for Newcastle then there's a very good chance I will wear those Three Lions again.
"It's the domino effect. If you push one door open, another one falls open - and the door I am trying to push open now is playing good football for Newcastle.
"That is what I was bought for and that is what I'm paid good money to do."
| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 18th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:45 | Middlesbrough vs Chelsea |
| 15:00 | Arsenal vs Everton |
| 15:00 | Aston Villa vs Portsmouth |
| 15:00 | Bolton vs Blackburn |
| 15:00 | Fulham vs Sunderland |
| 15:00 | Liverpool vs Wigan |
| 17:30 | Man Utd vs West Brom |
| Sunday 19th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 15:00 | Hull vs West Ham |
| 16:00 | Stoke vs Tottenham |
| Monday 20th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 20:00 | Newcastle vs Man City |
| Saturday 25th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 12:00 | Everton vs Man Utd |
| 12:45 | Sunderland vs Newcastle |
| 15:00 | West Brom vs Hull |
| 17:30 | Blackburn vs Middlesbrough |
| Sunday 26th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 13:30 | Chelsea vs Liverpool |
| 16:00 | West Ham vs Arsenal |
| Tuesday 28th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Newcastle vs West Brom |
| Wednesday 29th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| 19:45 | Aston Villa vs Blackburn |
| 19:45 | Hull vs Chelsea |
| 20:00 | Arsenal vs Tottenham |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Sunday 5th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| West Ham 1 - 3 Bolton | |
| Portsmouth 2 - 1 Stoke | |
| Chelsea 2 - 0 Aston Villa | |
| Man City 2 - 3 Liverpool | |
| Tottenham 0 - 1 Hull | |
| Everton 2 - 2 Newcastle | |
| Saturday 4th October | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Wigan 0 - 1 Middlesbrough | |
| Sunderland 1 - 1 Arsenal | |
| West Brom 1 - 0 Fulham | |
| Blackburn 0 - 2 Man Utd | |
| Sunday 28th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Portsmouth 2 - 0 Tottenham | |
| Wigan 2 - 1 Man City | |
| Saturday 27th September | |
| Barclays Premier League | |
| Everton 0 - 2 Liverpool | |
| Man Utd 2 - 0 Bolton | |
| Stoke 0 - 2 Chelsea | |
| Middlesbrough 0 - 1 West Brom | |
| Newcastle 1 - 2 Blackburn | |
| Aston Villa 2 - 1 Sunderland | |
| Fulham 1 - 2 West Ham | |
| Arsenal 1 - 2 Hull | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea | 7 | 17 |
| 2 | Liverpool | 7 | 17 |
| 3 | Hull City | 7 | 14 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 7 | 13 |
| 5 | Aston Villa | 7 | 13 |
| 6 | West Ham United | 7 | 12 |
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