Barnes empathises with Duff after Hammers dismissal

The veteran defender, in his testimonial year, was given his marching orders by Jonathan Moss after tripping West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate inside the penalty area in the 24th minute of the fixture at the Boleyn Ground.

Mark Noble then stepped up to score the only goal of the game from the spot, sending Tom Heaton the wrong way.

Barnes, who was himself sent off in the previous away fixture against Everton at Goodison Park, said: “It is tough to take. Scott (Arfield) and a few others were covering. It was a penalty, make no mistake, but it was harsh to send him off.

“I was running back and then the next minute he was giving a red card. It was hard to take but as a group of players we need to step up to the mark.

“The lads did brilliantly when I went off the other week and the same today. I thought we were magnificent. When we went down to 10 I thought we still controlled the game.

“But silly mistakes have cost us, like my sending off the other week and then Duffo’s on Saturday.”

Barnes, who was denied his first goal in three months when Adrian saved his header from Kieran Trippier’s corner, added: “I still thought we battered them throughout the game but we just couldn’t get the goal.

“There was a save from my header and I should have had a header just before I came off, which I was disappointed by, but these things happen.

“If my header goes in it could be a completely different game and we could go on and win it.”