A very good evening, ladies and gentleman.

You’ve arrived in ample time for our play-by-play (as John Henry might call it) of Liverpool’s Europa League date with Udinese.

Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Here are the movers and shakers for the evening. Plenty of quality in Rodgers’ staring XI, but he has the big guns in reserve… just in case.

Liverpool: Reina, Johnson, Coates, Carragher, Robinson, Henderson, Allen, Shelvey, Downing, Borini, Assaidi.

Subs: Jones, Sahin, Suarez, Gerrard, Sterling, Skrtel, Wisdom.

Udinese: Brkic, Benatia, Danilo, Domizzi, Faraoni, Agyemang-Badu, Pinzi, Pasquale, Pereyra, Di Natale, Armero.

Subs: Padelli, Ranegie, Coda, Lazzari, Fabbrini, Heurtaux, Willians.

Referee: Stefan Johannesson (Sweden)

Gerry and the Pacemakers’ anthem is blaring out in Anfield. Studs are tightened, laces tied, hair gelled. Kick off is close.

Carragher and Di Natale lead their troops from the tunnel.

We’ll keep you informed of Newcastle’s progress against Bordeaux. yes, by the magic of two screen technology we have both games on in front of us.

KICK OFF: The home side kick off in a fairly muted Anfield. They will defend the Kop in this first half.

Udinese have started marginally the better side here, probing in the Reds’ half, but nothing to force a chance.

Liverpool go up the other end attacking with purpose through Oussama Assaidi, the Dutchman cuts in from the left but his right foot shot is dragged wide from 18 yards.

JJ Shelvey just had a powerful shot deflected for a corner and Liverpool almost take the lead from that set-piece as Coates is unmarked and powers a header on target. Brkic saves, but it drops in front of him and no red shirt is on hand to put the chance away.

For those of you wondering where on earth to view this televisual magic:

Udinese have responded positively, not too difficult a task in an echoing Anfield after Pinzi put Faraoni down the right channel his cross is blocked and the visitors go very, very close to taking the lead. excellent save from Reina, diving low to his right to tap round the post.

GOAL: Newcastle 1 – 0 Bordeaux (Ameobi ’17)

Gabriel Obertan hurts his old club by providing a viscous low cross to the six-yard box for Ameobi to tap home.

Faraoni is off the field now receiving treatment, it looks like he’ll be replaced shortly. Good news for Liverpool. He looked very threatening on the right flank.

GOAL: Liverpool 1 – 0 Udinese (Shelvey ’22)

That is a terrific Liverpool goal. A raking pass from Jordan Henderson in the centre circle finds Downing on the right wing.

The ex-Boro man takes a touch before whipping in a right-footed cross which is met near the penalty spot by a flying John Joe Shelvey.

Chance for Udinese after Joe Allen (of all people) gives a square pass away Rodwell-style in midfield. The ball is fed to Di Natale right of the area. He opts to to cut in on his strong side and hits a rasping right foot shot which blazes over Reina’s bar.

All in all though, the goal has really settled the Liverpool’s young side down. While they were not great value for their lead when the goal went in, they are now.

The Reds are dominant in possession and the Italian’s are finding it hard to escape their half.

Almost another chance for the Reds on 36 minutes as the work the ball patiently around the area before downing loops another cross in. Jordan Henderson leaps to contest the cross, but if he makes contact it’s together with the defender and the ball loops high for the ‘keeper to claim.

Another shot from Shelvey leads to a corner and Henderson is again second to the ball. He’s making the defender work very hard.

GOAL: Newcastle 2 – 0 Bordeaux (Henrique O.G ’40)

Oh dear. it looks like another half decent cross from Obertan, but Henrique opts to lunge awkwardly at the ball on the six yard line when it seemed his ‘keeper would collect easily.

Typical, it’s all happening at the SportDirect Arena (or whatever) and both sets of players at Anfield look happy to wait until the second 45 before offering up any more action. One minute added on for Liverpool to hold possession.

HALF TIME: Liverpool 1 – 0 Udinese

HALF TIME: Newcastle 2 – 0 Bordeaux

Here comes the second half.

udinese have introduced Andrea Lazzari.

But before we have time to check who he replaced we have a…

GOAL: Liverpool 1 – 1 Udinese (Di Natala ’46)

After Glen Johnson loses possession with a heavy touch the visitors waste no time in raiding down the left flank.

Di Natale feeds Lazzari who returns the favour, pulling the ball back to his skipper who rifles a first time effort past Reina from the edge of the box.

GOAL: Newcastle 3 – 0 Bordeaux (Papiss Cisse ’49)

United are coasting towards three points now as Cisse guides a cross from Shane Ferguson into the net.

Liverpool slowly steadying the ship after Di Natale’s rocket and the work a chance for Borini, right of the six-yard box, the shot is blocked.

SUBSTITUTION: And, no sooner have I corrected the goal report where I mentioned a  young player by the name of Stevie Gerrard, does the club captain emerge from the bench alongside Luis Suarez.

Henderson and Assaidi make way for the attacking duo.

Here is that wonderful Di Natale goal:

YouTube credit: EuropaLeagueHD2012

Comical stuff there from Pinzi and from commentator Clive Tyldesley:

Suarez sets Downing clear on the left and the Italian can’t keep pace with the winger so puts two arms on his shoulders and pulls him down.

Tyldesley goes wild: calling it ‘violent conduct’ and saying ‘why not after suggesting a red card. It’s a yellow card.

The free kick soon finds Suarez who fires back across goal, it hits Shelvey who somehow doesn’t  put the chance away.

GOAL: Liverpool 1 – 2 Udinese (Coates OG ’70)

GOAL: Liverpool 1 – 3 Udinese (Pasquale ’72)

Wow! The term ‘double blow’ doesn’t cover it. LIverpool go within an inch of taking the lead, but fall behind as Coates heads into his own net from a free-kick.

Almost immediately from the re-start, Di Natale gets in behind Carragher and picks a long pass out of the sky with his right boot. he juggles the ball taking four touches before laying it off to Paquale who blasts a 20-yard shot past Reina.

GOAL: Liverpool 2 – 3 Udinese (Suarez ’74)

An absolute Howitzer of a free-kick from Suarez. 30 yards from the Kop goal he asks gerrard to stand aside and the shot arrows past Brkic who can only watch the ball fly past him.

Liverpool have their tails up again. Suarez meets a cross and draws an excellent save. He tussles for the rebound and gets it beyond the ‘keeper, but a defender is on hand to clear the ball long before it gets near the line.

Good game now.

Quite simply, Luis Suarez is a footballer in tremendous form. The striker nutmegs the fullback on the right flank and dribbles his way into the box before drawing a smart save with a low driven shot to the near post.

The Kop rise as the corner floats in, but its’ easily cleared. Liverpool press again and Raheen Stirling (who has just come on in place of Borini) has a shot blocked and it goes behind for another corner.

Corner, cleared, chance, corner. That’s the pattern.

No, the visitors relived the pressure and the life looks to have gone out on Liverpool. But seconds before the fourth official signals four minutes. Stirling cuts in off the left and whips in a shot which dips just a foot the wrong side of the bar.

Liverpool continue pressing and Shelvey does well to switch the play across the box. He finds Downing who takes a touch before hitting a low shot.

It’s on target, but straight at the ‘keeper.

“One goal is never enough against proper teams” Says Andy Townsend.

FULL TIME: Liverpool 2 – 3 Udinese

There it is. The full time whistle confirms a disappointing result for Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool.

quite a sedate affair for much of the match, but immediately after Steven Gerrard and Luis Suarez took the field it turned into a marvellous game with some stunning goals.

The result leave the Reds third in Group A of the Europa League, behind Udinese and Anji Makhachkala – who both have four points after drawing with eachother on matchday one..

That’s it from me folks. hope you enjoyed the liveblog as much as I enjoyed the last half hour of that game.

Spurs were the other Premier League side in action tonight, they drew one all in Greece. Match report coming right up.

G’Night.