Premiership footballer Steven Gerrard has been publicly backed by his club after being charged over a nightclub brawl.

Liverpool Football Club issued a statement offering him "all the support he needs" in the wake of charges of affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The club said: "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."

The England midfielder was charged by Merseyside Police in the early hours of Tuesday.

The criminal charges stem from a fight in the Lounge Inn, Southport, Merseyside, where the Liverpool captain was toasting his club's 5-1 demolition of Newcastle United.

Two other men, John Doran, 29, and Ian Gerard Smith, 19, both of Huyton where Gerrard grew up, were also charged with assaulting part-time DJ and businessman Marcus McGee, 34.

Mr McGee allegedly lost a tooth in the nightclub fight and needed several stitches to a face wound.

Gerrard and his wife Alex Curran left their home in a black Range Rover shortly after 1.15pm on Tuesday.

-Nova