• Europa League qualifying

Own goal gives Liverpool edge over Hearts

Raheem Sterling impressed for Liverpool against Hearts © Getty Images

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Liverpool came away with a 1-0 victory in their Europa League play-off first leg at Hearts courtesy of a late own goal from Andy Webster.

Brendan Rodgers rested the likes of Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtel for the trip to Tynecastle, and his second-string side struggled to create clear opportunities.

However, they claimed a valuable away goal in the 78th minute as Martin Kelly crossed from the right, Fabio Borini failed to make a connection and Webster turned the ball into his own net.

Ryan Taylor spared Newcastle's blushes with a fine free-kick as a 1-1 draw gives them a slight advantage in their clash at Atromitos.

A year and three days after he fired the Magpies to derby victory at Sunderland, he produced a set-piece of similar quality in first-half injury time to cancel out Denis Epstein's 24th-minute opener and ensure that his side returned to Tyneside knowing a victory of any description, or even a 0-0 draw, will send them through to the group stage.

That may have been less than manager Alan Pardew's ambitions before kick-off, but having made nine changes to the side which beat Tottenham 2-1 at the weekend, he saw his side put in a distinctly ordinary opening 45 minutes after which a draw was not the worst result.

Shaun Hutchinson was sent off as Motherwell suffered a 2-0 defeat to Europa League debutants Levante. Levante, who finished sixth in La Liga last season after briefly topping the table in late October, pushed Motherwell back in the first half and they were gifted a 42nd-minute opener as Juanlu ran from deep to net as the home defence waited for an offside flag.

Motherwell improved significantly and Henrik Ojamaa had two good chances, but the visitors carved out a second for substitute Nabil El Zhar in the 62nd minute and killed the game off before Hutchinson was dismissed for a last-man challenge.

FC Twente face an uphill battle to reach the group stage after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat away to Bursaspor. Steve McClaren's men had taken the lead through Nacer Chadli, but two goals from Pablo Batalla either side of Stanislav Sestak's effort leaves the Eredivisie side with plenty of work to do.

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