HOW do you solve a problem like Joey Barton?

A question that many a pundit and therapist across the land will have pondered.

After being jailed for beating up a bloke in the street and a further ban for an assault on former team-mate Ousmane Dabo, Barton admitted he was in "last-chance saloon" as regards his career.

The 26-year-old is expected to make a return this weekend and he couldn't have picked a worse game to comeback in.

The former Manchester City man will run the gauntlet at the Stadium of Light in the Tyne-Wear derby and it will be a real test.

The Mackem fans will be baying for blood. Every touch will be met by a wall of jeers, every foul will have the home fans screaming for justice and, even though they won't say it publicly, the Sunderland players will be doing their best to make his blood boil.

A dig in the ribs here, a step on the toes there will all test Barton's temperament to the limit.

Most people deserve a second chance and I believe Barton does.

He's done idiotic things but he's served his sentence and cleaned up his act (apparently).

If he's as good as his word, he can be a role model to younger footballers. It's better to learn from someone whose hit the depths than someone reading from a textbook after all.

But these first few games will be sink or swim time - and it's no-one's fault but his.

His every movement will be scrutinised to the nth degree and I just hope he's up to the challenge or the English game could lose a real talent.