LIVERPOOL, England (AP)

Steven Gerrard will be in Liverpool's lineup against Preston in the FA Cup today despite facing criminal charges over a nightclub brawl.

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez said yesterday that playing in the third-round game at Deepdale would keep his captain's mind on football rather than the court proceedings on the assault charge.

"He will play in the match, he is ready and is a great professional and it is best for him to be focused on football," Benitez said.

Gerrard was arrested after a brawl at the Lounge Inn nightclub in Southport just hours after he had scored twice in Liverpool's 5-1 victory at Newcastle on Sunday.

A disc jockey was hospitalised after losing a tooth and needing treatment for a cut forehead. Gerrard spent 20 hours in police custody before he was charged and released. He is due to appear before a court on January 23.

"I do not believe he will be distracted," Benitez said. "He wants to play football and concentrate just on that. He will be thinking about playing well, scoring goals and making sure the club progresses to the next round.

"He will play, and I have confidence he will be ready. It was a bad situation but because we know most of the details, maybe not all, we have to support him because we know these things can happen to footballers now because they are very famous."

The Liverpool manager said he believed leaving Gerrard out of the lineup was of no help to the player or the team.