Joey Barton believes Liverpool would be hypocritical to sack Jon Flanagan after he was convicted of assaulting his girlfriend on Wednesday.
Flanagan avoided jail but must complete 15 rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours of unpaid work after he attacked Rachel Wall in the early hours of December 22. He threw his partner into a wall then kicked her while she was on the ground, after he had been drinking.
In a statement, Liverpool said they 'have expressed to him our disappointment and anger that he has failed to live up to the values' of the club and that an 'internal process will now begin'.