Rafael Benítez, the Liverpool manager, has emphasised that the court case involving Steven Gerrard will not distract the club in their pursuit of the Barclays Premier League title.

Benítez had a lengthy discussion with his captain and the club’s lawyer yesterday morning after returning to Liverpool’s Melwood training headquarters for the first time since undergoing surgery to remove kidney stones just over a fortnight ago.

Gerrard, and two friends, John Doran and Ian Smith, have been bailed to appear at North Sefton Magistrates’ Court on January 23 after all three were charged with assault and affray in connection with an alleged brawl involving a 34-year-old man at the Lounge Inn, in Southport, during the early hours of Monday.

Benítez has insisted that Gerrard has his “full support and backing”, although the manager is determined to ensure that the player’s impending court appearance does not impinge on performances on the field. Liverpool, who face Preston North End in the FA Cup third round at Deepdale on Saturday, are three points clear in the Barclays Premier League.

“Steven is our captain and a key player for us, but more than this, I know him as a nice person,” Benítez said. “He explained to me what had happened and I told him he has my full support and backing, along with everyone else at the football club.

“He trained with the other lads after a couple of days off for the squad and is keen now to focus solely on his football. We’ve worked very hard to get into the position we’re in going through to the new year and all of us are determined to keep that progress going.”

Gerrard has also received the backing of the Professional Footballers’ Association and Kenny Dalglish. The former Liverpool player and manager, who had been at the Lounge Inn with his wife about half an hour before the alleged fracas took place, said that Gerrard had been “happily signing autographs for people and co-operating with everyone’s requests”.

“The Steven Gerrard that I know is not just a great footballer but a really good person as well,” Dalglish said. “He tries hard to be normal and act normally. That’s why he is out trying to enjoy Christmas with his old friends — he’s not someone who walks around with 20-odd security guards around him.”