Dabo recounts Barton bust-up

The Manchester City midfielders squared up in training on Tuesday, with Dabo taken to hospital after being punched repeatedly by Barton.

The England cap has been suspended by City until the end of the season, with Dabo explaining how the bust-up came about.

"I just pushed him away and turned my back to walk off," Dabo told The Sun. "That's when he hit me.

"I really don't remember exactly what happened, but I've been told by all my team-mates he hit me from behind, a right hook which hit me on the temple and knocked me out for a few seconds.

"As I started to fall he jumped on top of me, held my head and punched me twice more in the face.

"Apparently when I was on the floor he again punched me before being pulled off.

"When I came round, and it can only have been a matter of seconds, there was blood everywhere.

"I was spitting blood and my eye was clouded over when I realised what had happened. I wanted to go after him."

After receiving hospital treatment for his injuries, Dabo said: "When I woke up this morning I looked at myself in the mirror with my face all swollen up and I looked like the Elephant Man.

"I've never known anything like this before in my career."