EUROPA LEAGUE; LIVERPOOL YAONA MWEZI, YAIFUNGA UDINESE 1-0

Udinese 0 Liverpool 1: Reds finish top of the group after Henderson's first-half strike

Midfielder Jordan Henderson's maiden Europa League goal saw Liverpool progress to the last 32 as Group A winners with a 1-0 victory over 10-man Udinese in Italy.

It was only his third strike for the club he joined for £16million in the summer of 2011 - and his first since May 8 - but he would have had another had it not been for a brilliant reaction save from former Liverpool goalkeeper Daniele Padelli.
But with Young Boys beating Anzhi the goal was the difference between the Reds reaching the knockout stages for the ninth time in 11 attempts and crashing out.

Paint the town Red: Jordan Henderson grabbed scored as Liverpool progressed in the Europa League

MATCH FACTS

Udinese: Padelli, Faraoni, Heurtaux, Danilo, Pasquale, Pereyra, Agyemang-Badu, Pinzi (Benatia 46), Armero, Fabbrini, Ranegie (Di Natale 85), Benatia (Reinthaler 65). Subs Not Used: Brkic, Marsura, Berra, Frison.
Sent Off: Pasquale (80).
Booked: Fabbrini, Pasquale, Agyemang-Badu.
Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Skrtel, Carragher, Jose Enrique, Henderson, Allen, Sahin (Shelvey 12), Suso (Sterling 71), Suarez, Downing. Subs Not Used: Jones, Cole, Assaidi, Coates, Wisdom.
Booked: Suso, Allen, Carragher.
Goals: Henderson 23.
Attendance: 12,000
Referee: Duarte Gomes (Portugal) 
Europa League tables, fixtures and results

In finding the net Henderson joined a small but illustrious club of Michael Owen, Fernando Torres and Phil Neal to score for Liverpool in Italy.
Liverpool's trouble this season has been a reliance on Luis Suarez, playing his first European away match for the Reds, to provide the goals.
Manager Brendan Rodgers has called for others to contribute and in recent weeks Daniel Agger, Jonjo Shelvey, Jose Enrique and even Joe Cole have chipped in.
By hitting the target in the Stadio Fruili, Henderson became the 15th different player to score this season, three short of the club record.
The 22-year-old had endured a difficult start to his Liverpool career and could have been sold in the summer but he has expressed his desire to fight for a place and a future at Anfield.
To call it a watershed moment for him would be premature but ensuring the club's participation in Europe in the new year was an important hurdle to get over.

Delight around: The goal caps an impressive run of form for Henderson, and his team-mates were thrilled