Joey Barton has been arrested on suspicion of attacking a man near a golf club in Liverpool.

The former footballer was detained by police following the incident outside Huyton and Prescot golf club at 9pm on Sunday.

Barton, 43, was one of two men arrested as emergency services responded to reports a man had been seriously assaulted. The alleged victim was taken to hospital for facial and rib injuries.

Merseyside police said a 50-year-old man and a 43-year-old man were being held on suspicion of section 18 wounding, a form of grievous bodily harm.

Police officers remained at the scene on Tuesday morning carrying out fingertip searches behind a cordon.

Officers could also be seen checking neighbouring gardens while sniffer dogs were also seen at the golf club, about eight miles east of Liverpool city centre.

One neighbour told the Liverpool Echo on Tuesday that they had seen a man on the floor “with blood on him” before they rang 999.

They said they saw police washing blood off the pavement on Monday. They said: “When my partner went to work yesterday morning they had took the cordon down and they were washing the pavement. That’s why there’s sand all over the pavement from where they washed it.”

Barton played for clubs including Manchester City, Newcastle and Rangers during his 15-year career in top-flight football. He moved into management in 2018, first with Fleetwood Town and then Bristol Rovers until 2023.