Having watched it again on MOTD and comparing it with other minor bust ups with the referee nearby, I think Barton was unlucky. It was too far away for us to see clearly at the time So much so that a guy behind me was calling for the ref to send off Jelavic for the initial 50-50 challenge with Furlong. They both lunged to get the ball as it had slipped way from Furlong. Furlong won it but got Jelavic as well in the follow through. Several Hull players waded in to try to get Furlong sent off and Barton waded in to protect him. What annoys me is the one sided account of the incident by the super-pundits. There was shoving on both sides and the killer punch which Barton delivered to Huddlestone was no worse than the one he had received at the start of the bust up from another Hull player who then melted away. Such a brave soul.
Had the referee been even handed he would have booked Barton and Huddlestone in addition to Furlong and left it at that. The smirk with which Huddlestone explained in his interview when expressing sympathy for Barton shows to me that in his case his actions were entirely premeditated. He did not react in the heat of the moment but knew fulwell that Barton probably would. It was a needless sending off and one which should be regretted by the ref as much as Barton
Had the referee been even handed he would have booked Barton and Huddlestone in addition to Furlong and left it at that. The smirk with which Huddlestone explained in his interview when expressing sympathy for Barton shows to me that in his case his actions were entirely premeditated. He did not react in the heat of the moment but knew fulwell that Barton probably would. It was a needless sending off and one which should be regretted by the ref as much as Barton