Newcastle's assistant boss Iain Dowie has denied rumours that Joey Barton's recovery from injury has been hit by a setback. The midfielder has been out of action since January after breaking a metatarsal.

"There has been a suggestion that Joey has had a setback somewhere, but that isn't the case," Dowie told the club's official website.

"Everything is fine with him and his recovery is on schedule as far as we're all concerned.

"He desperately wants to get back playing again and we are all looking at the Portsmouth game at the moment for him to do that.

"If that comes round a little too soon for him, then it will be the game after that.

"We'll have to see how he goes over the next week or so, but he is very determined, as you would imagine.

"That's the sort of character he is and hopefully he can play some part in that game."