Clinical finish from Antony takes Manchester United past Barcelona

It is probably fair to say that the jury has been out on Antony since Manchester United’s decision to pay €100m for him last summer. The most insistent criticism has been that he is too predictable. Defenders know that he wants to come in from the right and curl for the far corner with his favoured left foot. It will not be out for much longer if he gets the trick to work to this kind of effect on nights like these.

United had battled back from a 1-0 half-time deficit, Fred lashing home to cancel out Robert Lewandowski’s penalty and a meeting that always crackles was in search of its latest hero. United have had a few goalscoring heroes over the years against Barcelona, taking in Bryan Robson, Mark Hughes and Paul Scholes. Now Antony, who had come on as a half-time substitute, added his name to the list.

The goal was sparked by a Luke Shaw backheel by the corner flag and Bruno Fernandes muscling Raphinha off the ball to cross. First, another substitute, Alejandro Garnacho had a shot blocked; then Fred saw the same thing happen. Enter Antony, a case study in concentration to do this thing – the left-footed curler for the far corner. The execution was perfect and United and the manager, Erik ten Hag, were on their way to a famous victory.

It was the playoff for the last 16 of Europe’s second-tier competition and yet it had the trappings of a blockbuster, Old Trafford gleaming under the lights, two of the continent’s genuine superpowers present and renascent.

If United believed they were on their way to restoring a bit of the old fear factor for visitors, Barcelona had arrived on a stunning run.

Since they lost 3-0 at home to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on 26 October, Xavi’s team had won 16 of 18 in all