Joey Barton betting case hearing adjourned by Football Association

The Football Association has postponed Burnley midfielder Joey Barton's gambling disciplinary hearing, leaving the door open for him to face Liverpool next weekend.

Barton recently accepted a misconduct charge for breaching rules after it emerged that he had placed 1,260 bets on football matches over the past 10 years.

The 34-year-old, who rejoined Burnley from Rangers in January, was expected to be handed a lengthy ban - potentially running to the end of the season when his short-term deal with the Clarets expires.

However, the FA has been forced to delay the hearing due to the ill health of a chief investigator, meaning that Everton supporter Barton can feature in next weekend's trip to Anfield.

Barton, currently carrying a slight hamstring strain, has featured 10 times for Burnley since returning to the club earlier this year.