Manchester United came from behind to defeat Barcelona in a thrilling 2-1 encounter at Old Trafford on Thursday to advance to the knockout stage of the Europa League.

Brazilian sensation Antony notched an exquisite match-winning strike in the 73rd minute to send the Catalan giants out of the competition.

A keenly contested tie following a 2-2 draw at Camp Nou last week, saw Barcelona take advantage in the 18th minute of in the return leg at Old Trafford when Robert Lewandowski converted from the penalty spot.

The host levelled the scores early in the second period through Fred, though, before Antony came up with the winner, as the 20-time English champions won 2-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate to advance to the round of 16 of the tournament.

The win ensured the Red Devils' triumph over Barcelona for the first time since 2008, and the then-led Sir Alex Ferguson side went on to win the Champions League that season.

Speaking after the victory, United captain Bruno Fernandez, heaped praise over the overwhelming support of their fans, claiming that their loyalty pulled them through to this stage. He started this:

"The belief of the team is always there. The fans have pushed us through difficult moments."

Man United will now switch their attention to the EFL Cup final, with the Red Devils preparing to take on Newcastle United in the final of the competition on Sunday afternoon.

Barcelona, meanwhile, will return to La Liga action on Sunday evening with a trip to Almeria before switching their focus to the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final with Real Madrid next week.