Former footballer Joey Barton pushed his wife to the floor before kicking her in the head during a drunken row at their family home, a court has heard.
The former Manchester City and QPR midfielder, 42, is accused assaulting Georgia Barton, 38, in Kew, south-west London in June 2021.
The arguing between the couple, who had been drinking with two other couples while their children slept upstairs, started after Mr Barton threatened to fight his wife's brother and father, Westminster Magistrates' Court was told.
Mr Barton, of Widnes in Cheshire, denies a single charge of assault by beating.~
Prosecutor Helena Duong told the court there had been a "verbal disagreement about a family matter" before Mr Barton "grabbed her and pushed her to the ground and kicked her in the head".
As a friend tried to intervene, Mr Barton "threw" him off and said "don't disrespect me", the trial heard.