In one picture: Why you shouldn't get on the wrong side of Ed Balls

This is bloodied and injured Northern Echo journalist Rob Merrick after a nasty looking tackle from Ed Balls.

Mr Merrick was playing football with the shadow chancellor at the Labour party's annual match against lobby journalists. According to the Press Association:

The pair were contesting a 50-50 ball on the edge of the Lobby penalty area when a stray elbow from Balls left a slash under the reporter's right eye. Mr Merrick had to leave the pitch for medical treatment as blood covered his shirt - but later returned to be named man-of-the-match.

• James Tapsfield, Press Association Political Correspondent

The Labour team eventually lost the match 3-1.

After the match Mr Balls said: "I was about to score a brilliant goal in the top right hand corner. As I steadied myself to shoot Rob came piling in from behind attempting to nick the ball and came off worst."

Here's Ed Balls playing football over the years..

2006

2008

2009

2010

2012

All pictures via Getty

More: Eight things we learned from Ed Miliband on Marr