England and Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard has been charged with assault and affray following his arrest yesterday.

Gerrard and five other men were detained by police after a brawl outside the Lounge Inn, Southport, left a 34-year-old man with facial injuries.

A police spokesman told AFP: "Merseyside Police have charged Steven Gerrard, 28, of Formby, Sefton, John Doran, 29, and Ian Smith, 19, both from Huyton, Liverpool, with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray following an incident at Bold Street in Southport in the early hours of Monday, December 29.

"The three men will be appearing at North Sefton Magistrates' Court on January 23."

Gerrard, Doran and Smith have been released on bail, while the three other men have been released pending further enquiries.

Gerrard has been capped 70 times by England, scoring 14 goals.