Queens Park Rangers captain Joey Barton has apologised for his red card in his side's 3-2 defeat to Manchester City this afternoon.

Barton was given his marching orders after appearing to strike Carlos Tevez in a match that could have seen QPR relegated from the Premier League.

After being shown the red, Barton proceeded to knee Sergio Aguero in the back and appeared to direct a headbutt at Vincent Kompany before finally being dragged off the pitch. He later revealed that he was trying to take one of the City players off with him.

"Can do nothing but apologise to the players and the fans. Still don't think its a sending off. Tried to take 1 of their players with me," Barton said on Twitter.

"Still not my proudest moment but who gives a f*ck, we are safe..........and that is all that matters.

"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."

Barton's red card was QPR's ninth of the season, equalling Sunderland's record for a single club in one Premier League season.