Before the cup final, another final of sorts. This was the biggest game of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United tenure thus far and with it came the best result so far. Silverware may be on the line when United face Newcastle United in Sunday’s League Cup final but there were tangible wins here too.

Booking a place in the Europa League round-of-16 may not appear a grand achievement in itself but advancing past Barcelona, drawing 2-2 with them in Spain and then coming from behind to defeat them at a bouncing Old Trafford, is a notable scalp and a feather in United’s cap. This could signal the start of a fruitful few days for the club.

Xavi Hernandez’s Barcelona have been unbeaten since October — when Bayern Munich eliminated them from the Champions League and placed them here in a Europa League play-off — and have won 16 of those 18 games. But the La Liga leaders couldn’t halt United and their ever-growing momentum.

And so United continue to fight on all four trophy fronts, the only team in Europe to have so many avenues still open, and if it was fair to say that both teams deserved to share the draw in last week’s first leg, then it is equally right to conclude that United were warranted winners here.

It didn’t start well for the home team, they were behind after 18 minutes when Robert Lewandowski scored a penalty, awarded after Bruno Fernandes was judged to have pulled down Alex Balde — it may have been harsh but he gave the referee a decision to make.

But aside from going behind, United were inhibited by their set-up and not having Marcus Rashford through the middle and Jadon Sancho wide. Ten Hag corrected that at the break and United never looked back. The United manager has shown he is adept at fixing problems during games and he did so again here.

Getty: Alex Livesey

 

Fred’s goal early in the second half brought renewed belief and then Antony, Ten Hag’s half-time substitute, scored the winner with 15 minutes remaining. It was in that moment that it felt like a big night at Old Trafford with a big result to boot.

The Brazilian has struggled to live up to his €100m price tag since signing from Ajax in the summer but he will be treated a hero if he gets the trick to work to this kind of effect on nights like these.

Story of the game

United’s disjointed first half was partly down to the in-form Rashford moving away from the centre forward role he has played so well in recent games and switching to the left flank. Wout Weghorst started up front with Sancho playing in behind. It felt a move that went against all that has been good for United recently and the home side struggled to get going.

Xavi had been forced into fielding replacements for the injured Pedri and suspended Gavi in midfield, that meant a return for Sergio Busquets in one of four Barcelona changes. Still, Xavi’s team outperformed their hosts in the opening period. They found their passing rhythms, with Frenkie de Jong the conductor.

After the eventful first leg both teams were wary of each other’s danger. Luke Shaw went in hard on Joules Kounde early on, Balde was upended by Fernandes and then Rashford was brought down deep in Barcelona territory.

It took a fabulous Casemiro pass to open up the game and feed Fernandes down the inside right channel but the United captain’s shot was thwarted by Marc Andre ter Stegen. However it was Fernandes’ actions at the other end of the pitch that proved costly for United on 16 minutes.

Getty: Simon Stacpoole

Old Trafford had been a cauldron prior to kick-off and during the early exchanges but quietened in angst when Fernandes tugged at Balde’s left arm and the Barcelona full back fell to ground just inside the United penalty area. Referee Clement Turpin immediately pointed to the spot and although David De Gea got a hand to Lewandowski’s awkwardly struck penalty, he couldn’t keep it out.

Ahead on the night, in front in the tie, Barcelona saw out the first half with ease. United inhibited by their own mangled attack; Rashford was kept in check by Kounde down the right and Sancho similarly struggling to have any impact. Xavi’s men passed amongst themselves, not allowing United much entry room, Fred’s volley with his instep landing on the roof of the net being their only chance.

Ten Hag has already shown during his short time as United manager that he is not afraid of making changes, and even admitting slight errors of judgement. At half-time, knowing something had to be done to get United going, Antony was sent on for Weghorst with Rashford moved centrally and Sancho switching to the left. Within two minutes of the restart, dividends were reaped.

United won the ball high up and acted swiftly once in possession. Sancho passed across to Fernandes who played the ball onto Fred. The Brazilian met the pass with a run from deep and took a shot quickly, possibly catching Ter Stegen out, and the ball finished up in the corner of the ‘keeper’s goal.

Getty: Oli Scarff

Old Trafford was back alive, United up and running in this second leg, and there might have been a quick second had Antony aimed for goal himself rather than trying to find Rashford when in behind the Barcelona backline. Suddenly Xavi’s men were finding United a little trickier to contain.

However, the visitors still posed a threat themselves; Kounde’s header was tipped over by De Gea and the United ‘keeper then collected Franck Kessie’s mild shot. Suddenly the end-to-end nature of the first leg was returning to this tie but with 15 minutes left, United decisively struck again.

Diogo Dalot managed to keep the ball in at the byline with a back-heel and Fernandes brushed Ronald Araujo aside before passing to Alejandro Garnacho, newly arrived from the bench. The substitute’s shot was blocked, as was Fred’s rebound, but it fell for Antony and, third time lucky, he bent a shot into the bottom corner. This tie had it’s winning moment.

Player of the match: Fred

The Brazilian midfielder was hugely impressive in United’s second-half coming. On the whole, the home team were below par in the first half, but a much-improved second half had Fred at its heart. He struck within two minutes of the restart to pull United level with a quickly-taken shot and that re-energised both United and the home crowd.

From then on, Fred covered so much ground in midfield, darting from one area to the other, charging down opponents and playing with his head up — suddenly, he was overshadowing Barcelona’s De Jong, who had been the best player in the opening period.

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