Joey Barton to ensure in-form Charlie Austin stays grounded

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has insisted that there is no danger of in-form teammate Charlie Austin getting carried away by his talismanic form.

The former Burnley hitman struck a hat-trick in last weekend's 3-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion.

Austin, who has scored 11 of Rangers' 20 Premier League goals, is the highest-scoring Englishman in the division this season, but Barton says that he will ensure that the 25-year-old retains his humility.

"It'll be our job to keep Charlie on the ground," he told the Daily Star. "We absolutely cane him on a daily basis so his head won't be getting big.

"He's got his lucky jumper – he's got the worst jumper ever that he keeps wearing for home games and he says it's his lucky jumper.

"He's really superstitious. It's a moth-bitten horrible looking jumper like your dog would sleep on, not ironed or anything. To be fair he can keep it on – it hums a little bit but he keeps banging them in."

QPR, who sit two points clear of the relegation zone in 16th place, travel to Arsenal on Friday.