Liverpool, England - England midfielder Steven Gerrard acknowledged on Thursday he punched a man who refused to let him pick a song to play in a bar and says he was wrong to think he was about to be struck by him.
The Liverpool captain denies charges of affray after being accused of hitting businessman Marcus McGee at the Lounge Inn bar in the early hours of December 29 as he celebrated his team's 5-1 win over Newcastle.
Gerrard told Liverpool Crown Court he "remembers swinging my right hand two or three times" at McGee in self-defense, but said he didn't know McGee had initially been hit by a friend of his.
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"I thought he was going to hit me. He was on his way forward to me and his behaviour had changed from when I was having a discussion with him. I didn't know why," Gerrard said. "I am certainly mistaken in thinking he was coming towards me to throw punches at me. Now I know, obviously, he had been struck, reacted and thought the strike was by me, and he came into me and that's when I reacted.
'I didn't go over there with any intentions to fight ... obviously' "I didn't go over there with any intentions to fight ... obviously, I am upset about how the whole thing turned out."
The 29-year-old Gerrard said the incident took about four or five seconds before he was "pushed and pulled" away from McGee.
"It was very difficult at the time to explain to police why I did throw that first punch," Gerrard said. "We were arguing and I told the police I felt that Marcus came towards me and that's why I raised my arms. I firmly believed Marcus came towards me to hit me."
Prosecutor David Turner put it to Gerrard that he wasn't used to anyone saying "No" to him because "people admire and worship you."
"If you ask for a beer there are 16 on the bar," Turner said.
Gerrard responded: "People do say no to me. Maybe not all the time but they do it."
Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish provided a character reference for Gerrard that was read out to the jury. Dalglish, now a club ambassador, said he had known Gerrard since he joined Liverpool at the age of 14.
"Steven is a very responsible man and always has been," Dalglish said. "He is humble and his personality can be described as quiet."
Dalglish said Gerrard "receives a lot of grief for simply trying to be normal."
Five other men have already pleaded guilty in the incident and another admitted a lesser charge of threatening behaviour. The trial is expected to last several days. - Sapa-AP
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