Liverpool's Ian Ayre wants players off social media

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre has admitted that he would prefer the club's players not to use social media.

Striker Mario Balotelli could be issued with a match ban from the Football Association after he posted a controversial message on Instagram, which was deemed anti-Semitic and racist.

In an interview with BBC Radio Five Live, Ayre said: "We'd love to keep all our players away from it because it really is a problem.

"We have a social media policy, and there isn't any more we could do as a club to educate our players. [Footballers] have too much time to kill. In that downtime they put those crazy messages up."

Balotelli apologised on Twitter for any offence caused.