Ex-Footballer Joey Barton Calls Out Jamie Carragher for 'Absolute Madness' in Spitting Incident

Former Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton has called the incident in which Jamie Carragher spat at fans after Liverpool's loss to Manchester United'absolute madness'.

Speaking on talkSPORT Barton admitted that he expects the Liverpool legend's punditry career to be at risk and is 'disappointed' by the affair.

Carragher has been one of Sky Sports' key pundits for three years, and was covering the clash between bitter rivals United and Liverpool on Saturday. The former defender was filmed spitting through the car window at a father and his 14-year-old daughter, after the man videoing had taunted Carragher about the score.

The ex-Liverpool captain issued an apology on Sunday, as he admitted that there was 'no excuse' for his actions.

“It’s absolute madness, you just can’t do that in any fashion,” said Barton, on talkSPORT's Sports Breakfast with Alan Brazil.

“If Jamie is that annoyed he should just keep his window up, or just tell him to mind his own business.

“Why is he that emotionally attached to the game? He should be an impartial pundit," he continued.

Barton - who has served time in prison for assault and once stubbed out a cigar on a youth team player's eye - conceded that he's made mistakes himself, but believes that Carragher's behaviour was completely unacceptable. 

“I’ve done a lot of stupid stuff, and we all get stick, but to do that," he continued. “Surely he’s got to see the fact there’s a young girl in the car… he’s got kids himself!" the former midfielder added.

Carragher has since been suspended by Sky Sports and Danish channel TV3 over the scandal, and Barton agreed that the former Liverpool player's role as a pundit should be assessed.

“Look, he’s made a mistake but say that was me, I think my position should rightly be under fire and I think his will be.

He said: “It’s disappointing, because he’s a good pundit, but you just can’t condone that. You can’t do that to a young girl outside a football match if you’ve got that sort of profile, you just can’t do it.”