Mark Warburton’s Glasgow Rangers side could only draw 1-1 at Rugby Park.
Joey Barton
Mark Warburton has told the Daily Record that he substituted Joey Barton as a precaution as the atmosphere began to rise during Rangers’ clash with Kilmarnock on Friday night.
The 33-year-old was on the receiving end of a poor challenge from Killie’s Greg Taylor – for which, the midfielder received a red card – shortly after the hour mark at Rugby Park, and was replaced by Andy Halliday just over five minutes later.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton
But Warburton confirmed that the former Burnley man was feeling no ill-effects following the tackle, and he was simply concerned about the fact that Barton had been cautioned earlier in the clash.
“Joey is okay. I saw the challenge, we don’t want to see anyone sent off, but it was a poor challenge. I was conscious the atmosphere was rising and Joey was on a yellow card, so I took him off as a precaution,” he told the Record.
“I don’t think he’s a marked man. It’s the nature of the game.”
Though Barton has struggled since his move to Ibrox, it is hardly surprising that Warburton felt that the former Burnley man needed to be protected.
Next up for the Gers is a trip to Parkhead to face Celtic, and the last thing that the manager would have wanted would be to have a player like Barton missing.
His fighting spirit – which has arguably become a lot less reckless in recent years – will certainly be vital to the Light Blues’ hopes of winning as if he can stamp his authority on the game, his teammates will have no problem motivating themselves to battle just as hard.
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