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| Gerrard scores against Newcastle hours before his arrest [GALLO/GETTY] |
Liverpool have thrown their full support behind captain Steven Gerrard after he was charged with assault and affray in connection with a brawl at a bar.
The England international, hailed as one of the world's best midfielders, was charged on Tuesday alongside two other men after spending 24 hours in police custody following the incident in the seaside resort of Southport in Merseyside.
A conviction on occasioning actual bodily harm and affray carries a maximum five-year prison sentence.
But Liverpool are adamant that their talismanic player will remain a vital part of the club's push for a first English league title since 1990.
'Outstanding servant'
"Steven has been an outstanding servant to Liverpool for the last 10 years and the club will give him all the support he needs at this time," Liverpool said in a statement on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old Gerrard will be in contention for Saturday's FA Cup match at Preston after being released on bail to appear in court on January 23.
John Doran, 29, and Ian Smith, 19, who are from the Huyton area of Liverpool where Gerrard grew up, were charged with the same offences by Merseyside Police.
In the altercation outside the Lounge Inn in the early hours of Monday, the bar's 34-year-old DJ Marcus McGee - named in the English press as a Manchester United fan - lost a tooth and sustained cuts to his forehead, although he was later released from hospital.
Gerrard had been celebrating Sunday's emphatic 5-1 victory over Newcastle in which he scored twice as Liverpool went three points clear atop the English Premier League.
Manager Rafa Benitez sees Gerrard as the key ingredient in bringing trophies to Anfield.
'Power and quality'
"He is still young, 28 for a player is the best age and I think that he will not lose his power and he will not lose his quality," Benitez said earlier this season.
"He is now one of the big names of world football and 10 years in the same club and scoring (109) goals for a midfielder is amazing."
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| The Lounge Inn in Southport [AFP] |
Gerrard has found the net this season to clinch wins over Marseille, Portsmouth and Middlesbrough, and salvage draws against Atletico Madrid and Hull.
His standing in world football was reinforced in October when fellow international professionals named him in FIFPro's team-of-the-year lineup.
Gerrard has acknowledged that the plaudits have intensified the scrutiny from media and fans.
"Everywhere I go, whether on holiday or around Europe with Liverpool, everyone is talking about the games in such detail," Gerrard has said.
"The interest blows me away at times. I'll admit it is really flattering, and I have to pinch myself and have a good think of where I am.
"But the people I have around me, like my family, keep me humble, they keep my feet on the ground."
King of Europe
Gerrard, who has played 70 matches for England, was appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II after leading Liverpool to the European Champions League title in 2005.
"He is an example to everyone," Benitez said.
"He always trains hard and is a good professional. He is always committed on the pitch, it is a kind of leadership that all captains should aspire to."
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