Rafael Benitez _300

Newcastle ended the game with 10 men after Joey Barton was sent off in the 77th-minute for an ugly challenge on Xabi Alonso.

Alonso was carried off on a stretcher and left the ground with a brace on his left foot after suffering heavy bruising.

But Benitez, who also revealed Javier Mascherano suffered a twisted ankle in the closing moments after a tackle from Kevin Nolan, said: “Alonso has some bruising, but I think he will be okay in a few days. It will be very painful for one or two days

“I haven’t seen Barton’s tackle but it could have been a bad one, yes.”

Fernando Torres was absent after tweaking a hamstring during training in the build-up to the gamebut Benitez is confident the striker, along with Alonso and Mascherano, will be available for Saturday’s visit to West Ham.

“Torres had a hamstring problem in training, and would have been a big risk,” said the Spaniard. “It was the right decision and he is likely to be back next week.

“It would have been dangerous to start with him and even as a substitute it would have been a risk because this way he will be ready for the last three games.”

Newcastle’s caretaker manager Alan Shearer admitted Barton deserved to be sent off and that “we will do what we have to do” as regards a club fine, which will be the maximum two weeks’ wages.

“It was the correct decision and now we will be without him for the rest of the season,” said Shearer. “I’m not happy with him. He’s let me down, let the club down and let himself down. He has apologised because he didn’t need to do that at all.”