NEWCASTLE UNITED have suspended midfielder Joey Barton until further notice, the club announced this morning.

The club are believed to have suspended the controversial midfielder for an indefinite period after he reportedly clashed with manager Alan Shearer in the wake on Sunday's 3-0 defeat at Liverpool.

It has emerged that Barton and Shearer became involved in a heated exchange in the Newcastle dressing room following the game at Anfield where the midfielder's rash two-footed challenge on Liverpool's Xabi Alonso may have been his last action in a Newcastle shirt.

Witnesses claim Shearer referred to Barton's challenge, that earned the player a red card, as a 'coward's tackle' with the midfielder taking exception to his manager's comments. Reports claim Barton questioned Shearer's managerial abilities with a volley of abuse as the pair almost came to blows.

Barton's red card guaranteed his suspension from playing duties for the remainder of the current season, but this morning's announcement suggests the club are taking a hard line with the midfielder who's believed to earn around £65,000 per week.

The statement issued by Newcastle United added: "The club will be making no further comment on the matter at this time."

Former Magpies striker Malcolm MacDonald called on the club to get rid of Barton at the earliest opportunity.

He told Setanta Sports News: "With the situation the club is in, I think it is impossible for the crowd to accept this behaviour.

"The guy has continuously bought Newcastle United into disrepute. It really isn't good enough.

"In the short he has been at Newcastle, he has either been injured, in prison or in trouble. Enough is enough."

However, just who would be prepared to take the midfielder on remains to be seen.

MacDonald said: "There's always somebody in a hard-up situation who will take a chance and when they do, they will suffer for it dreadfully.

"What Joey Barton wants to do with his career is up to him, but I think he will find it very, very difficult to find employment in this country in football.

"Heaven help whatever club he does join."