Murphy and Owen pounce for Liverpool
For long spells Liverpool had been anxious, even fearful, but Owen's 20th European strike equalling Ian Rush's club record and Murphy settled the nerves all around Anfield.
The dangers which Liverpool encountered in France last week were just as evident here - the tall, quick and talented Senegal star Khalilou Fadiga down the left, Lionel Mathis on the right - both were clever and inventive on the ball.
Cisse was playing on his own up front with captain Yann Lachuer just behind, and the movement which caused Liverpool so much trouble in the first leg continued in the same vein a second time around.
It was Auxerre looking the more confident, picking off possession in midfield and stopping the flow to Owen and Emile Heskey.
With such a flimsy lead, Liverpool looked uncertain even with plenty of possession, the hangover from Sunday's shambles at Birmingham evident.
The squandering of possession by Liverpool was a constant theme. They looked tense, nervous and uncertain, protecting just a one-goal lead.
That was almost increased on 34 minutes when Riise laid the ball back to Murphy, whose instant flick with the outside of the boot set up Heskey for an eight-yard header that flew just over the crossbar.
The desperate need for some sort of creativity saw Vladimir Smicer, just back from an ankle problem, introduced to the midfield with Traore going off at the break and Riise dropping to left-back. It seemed to work as Smicer set up first Heskey and then Owen, the little striker veering to the right to send in a shot which Fabien Cool blocked at his near post.
The illusion of Liverpool asserting themselves ended when Mathis was allowed to move towards the box unchallenged before lashing a low drive which Dudek beat out.
Diouf was getting no change out of Jean-Sebastien Jaures on the right, while Boumsong's speed was giving Owen precious little to work with.
The next Liverpool substitution said it all. Hamann was brought on for Diouf, which meant Murphy ended up on the right and the German back alongside Gerrard. It said as much about holding what they had than anything else as Liverpool continued to struggle.
Smicer was doing his best though to raise his side, and the anxious crowd. He collected the ball 25 yards out on 65 minutes and jinked his way into the box to unleash a powerful shot which flew just over the bar.
A minute later Liverpool got the goal they desperately needed but had barely looked like achieving and it came from Owen, to equal Ian Rush's club record of 20 European goals.
Owen took a Murphy pass, fractionally onside, strode on and lifted the ball past Cool into the bottom corner.
Auxerre responded with a thunderous 30-yard effort from Philippe Mexes which knocked over Dudek, who did well to just punch the ball away.
The tie was ended as a contest on 72 minutes when Gerrard fed Murphy some 30 yards out and the midfielder's drive was too hot for Cool to handle.
Houllier could start thinking about Sunday and Manchester United and Henchoz was taken off to allow Igor Biscan into defence on 75 minutes.
Mathis and Teemu Tainio were both booked in the final minutes, and Owen almost added another when he hurled himself at Smicer's cross and lifted his shot over the bar.
LIVERPOOL: Dudek, Carragher, Henchoz, Hyypia, Traore, Diouf, Murphy, Gerrard, Riise, Owen, Heskey.
AUXERRE: Cool, Radet, Boumsong, Mexes, Jaures, Faye, Tainio, Mathis, Lachuer, Fadiga, Cisse.
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