The three remaining knockout stage tickets on the table were claimed by Steaua Bucharest and Vfb Stuttgart from Group E, and Basel from Group G. Jordan Henderson scored the decisive goal to fire five-time European champions Liverpool into the next round. Brendan Rodgers' side ended up topping Group A, ahead of already qualified Anzhi Makhachkala, beaten 3-1 by Young Boys - with this trio all finishing on 10 points. Liverpool turned up in Italy with their destiny in their own hands - knowing a win would be sufficient irrespective of the outcome of the other tie between Anzhi and Young Boys.
They began boldly and got the decisive goal in the 23rd minute. Stewart Downing's corner from the left was headed on by Luis Suarez to Suso who in turn laid it back to Henderson who drilled a low ball through the Udinese defence and the legs of their keeper Daniele Padelli.
With Young Boys having taken the lead over Russian big-spenders Anzhi in Switzerland Liverpool endured a nervy second half, aware that if they conceded they would be eliminated. Udinese eased Liverpool's task when they went down to 10 men following a second booking for Giovanni Pasquale and the Anfield side held on.
Newcastle travelled to Bordeaux with qualification already in the bag but Alan Pardew's men missed out on denying the French side top spot in Group D after a 2-0 defeat. Elsewhere Czech side Viktoria Plzen beat Atletico Madrid 1-0 to deny the defending champions top spot in Group B. The Group G Sporting Lisbon v Videoton game was held over until Friday due to a waterlogged pitch but the result is academic with Basel sealing the runners-up spot after a 0-0 draw with group leaders Genk. The two-legged last 32 round gets underway in mid-February with the draw held later this month.