MX23RW : Monday, November 25 05:40:34| >> :120:47453:47453:

Joey Barton to ensure in-form Charlie Austin stays grounded

Joey Barton says that he and his QPR teammates will ensure that in-form striker Charlie Austin remains humble amid a sea of praise.

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.

ID:195496: cacheID:195496:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:2195:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Charlie Austin of QPR celebrates scoring their first goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Southampton and Queens Park Rangers at St Mary's Stadium on September 27, 2014
Read Next:
Redknapp: Austin "not going anywhere in January"
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Leeds UnitedLeeds1695228121632
2Sunderland1695226121432
3Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd1610422191232
4Burnley168621961330
5Middlesbrough1683529191027
6West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom166821811726
7Watford168262524126
8Millwall166641914524
9Blackburn RoversBlackburn156451917222
10Bristol City165742020022
11Derby CountyDerby165562020020
12Stoke CityStoke165561920-120
13Norwich CityNorwich164752524119
14Swansea CitySwansea165471414019
15Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds165471826-819
16Luton TownLuton165381826-818
17Coventry CityCoventry164572223-117
18Oxford UnitedOxford Utd164571924-517
19Plymouth ArgylePlymouth164571728-1117
20Preston North EndPreston163761624-816
21Cardiff CityCardiff164481524-916
22Hull City163671621-515
23Portsmouth152671628-1212
24Queens Park RangersQPR161871326-1311


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!