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.