ALAN Shearer has promised to punish Joey Barton as severely as possible for the tackle yesterday which ended his season – and possibly his Newcastle United career.

Barton’s red card was the low point of a 3-0 loss to Liverpool and while the tame manner of it will only have increased the sense of foreboding among supporters, Shearer claimed nothing had changed.

Newcastle’s record goalscorer afforded himself a wry smile when he stepped into his technical area late in the game as the Kop derided him. But it soon left his face when asked about Barton, who marked his return to the team – and his home city – with a red card.

The 26-year-old, out since January with a broken metatarsal, was sent off in the 77th minute after lunging into Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard was in an unthreatening position within touching distance of the corner flag and facing the touchline as Barton scissored his legs around him.

Liverpool were left hoping Alonso’s season is not over after the midfielder was stretchered off with a badly bruised ankle. Barton’s definitely is.

“I thought it was the correct decision and we now miss him for the rest of the season (through suspension),” Shearer said. “I’m not happy. He’s let the football club down, he’s let himself down.

“He’s apologised. He wasn’t unlucky, it was the right decision.”

Barton will be suspended for Newcastle’s final three games this season but Shearer was not very talkative on what internal punishment he could face.

“I’ll do what we can,” is all he would say. What Newcastle can do is fine the midfielder – who eventually left the field shaking his head – two weeks’ wages.

Barton could face further punishment from the Football Association. Earlier this

season he received a six-month suspended sentence until 2009-10 for the training ground attack on then-team-mate Ousmane Dabo, which saw him spend pre-season in prison.

However, Newcastle do not expect that suspended sentence to lengthen the ban Barton will receive.