England star Steven Gerrard was a free man today after he was cleared of unjustly attacking a man in a bar.

The Liverpool captain admitted hitting Marcus McGee, 34, in a Southport bar last December and a jury at the city’s crown court accepted his explanation that it was in self-defence.

Gerrard, 29, was the only one of seven defendants to be cleared over the “explosion of violence” during which Mr McGee lost a tooth and suffered facial cuts.

Former Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin and five others admitted affray earlier this week. A sixth man admitted threatening behaviour.

The trial heard Gerrard was at the Lounge Inn in Southport on December 29 to celebrate Liverpool’s 5-1 win over of Newcastle United.

Gerrard was enjoying a night out with friends including Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish. Trouble flared when the father-of-two wanted to change the music on the CD player.

David Turner QC, prosecuting, said Gerrard lost his cool after Mr McGee refused to change the music.

He said the millionaire player stormed off but then went back and confronted Mr McGee before swinging three punches at him.

However, Gerrard, who denied affray, said he had been “shocked” by Mr McGee’s attitude, claiming the businessman swore at him, before Gerrard walked away. The footballer said  minutes later he decided to smooth things over.

He added: “Very quickly he came off the bar stool and was in my face right by me.”

He told his defence counsel, John Kelsey-Fry, that he hit out at Mr McGee in self-defence. He said: “I firmly believed Marcus came towards me to hit me.”

Gerrard apologised for what happened.

Those who admitted affray were former Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper Ian Dunbavin, 28, of Southport; fellow Accrington Stanley player Robert Grant, 19, of Litherland; and Ian Smith, 19; John Doran, 29, and Paul McGrattan, 31, all from Huyton. Another friend, John McGrattan, 34, also from Huyton, admitted threatening behaviour.