Gerrard cleared by court over bar room attack

England midfielder Steven Gerrard was cleared today of intentionally attacking a man in a bar and said he could now concentrate on Liverpool\'s push for a first Premier League title, according to a report on www.foxsportsworld.com.



The jury at Liverpool Crown Court found the Liverpool captain not guilty of affray, accepting the footballer\'s explanation that he acted in self-defense in punching businessman Marcus McGee at the Lounge Inn bar on December 29 in a dispute over music.



\"Can I just say how pleased I am with today\'s verdict,\" Gerrard said outside the court. \"I\'m glad to put this case behind me and I am really looking forward to the season ahead and concentrating on my football now.



\"I would just like to say a big thank you to my legal team and to my friends and family and everyone at Liverpool Football Club for supporting me.\"



The 29-year-old Gerrard has played for Liverpool for his entire career and last month signed a contract with the club until 2013.



After leading the Reds to its fifth Champions League title in 2005, he was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II and remains the key member of Rafa Benitez\'s team.



Gerrard was celebrating in the Southport bar near Liverpool after scoring twice in his team\'s 5-1 win at Newcastle. He was with a party of friends, including former Liverpool manager and player Kenny Dalglish.



Video footage from the bar showed Gerrard and his friends drinking beer, downing spirits and dancing while chanting football songs. But trouble flared at around 2 a.m. when Gerrard wanted to change the music on the CD player.



The 34-year-old McGee said Gerrard had tried to grab a music card from him after being refused control of the device.



Gerrard admitted throwing three punches but said only one connected. He said he only swung at McGee because he thought he was about to be attacked himself.



Five other men have already pleaded guilty in the incident and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behavior.



The six men will be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on August 7.