Anthony Crolla has set his sights on a rematch after losing his WBA lightweight title by unanimous decision against Jorge Linares in Manchester on Saturday night.

Venezuelan Linares produced a classy performance to see off the popular Mancunian, and appeared to be in control throughout despite being taken 12 rounds for the first time in his career.

Promoter Eddie Hearn revealed after the fight that a rematch had already been agreed for next year, and Crolla appeared to rule out a domestic fight against Terry Flanagan in favour of claiming back his title.

He told Sky Sports: "I think it will be Linares next year, in February/March. It was a tough old fight, I'll have a little rest and then we'll do it again.

"I think you saw last night, the attendance and the turn out was amazing and hopefully we'll get something similar if not better after the fight that was put on last night."

Crolla had brief moments of encouragement throughout, landing a right hand in the fifth that cut Linares' right eye, but suffered a crucial blow in the sixth as the challenger landed a big right to leave Crolla struggling.

That punch, Crolla admits, changed the course of the fight.

"I thought I was in control and had him where I wanted him," he said.

"I took that right hand and I felt that it gave him that feeling that he knew he could hurt me, and could do it again. That played a big part in the fight.

"I recovered and won the next round, but I think it was a big point in the fight."

He added: "I took a very good shot and after that, I knew where I was and what I was doing but my legs were trying to tell me different."

The competitive opening rounds did little to encourage the defending champion. His challenger had often appeared vulnerable in the early stages of fights, as he demonstrated when being knocked down by Kevin Mitchell in May 2015 before recovering to win.

Crolla had been expected to pursue him during those early rounds, but instead he chose to repeatedly target Linares' body in an attempt to tire him in preparation for the second half of the fight.

Linares' superior class, speed and accuracy ensured he at least edged the majority of the first five. He hurt Crolla with body shots in the fourth, one of which referee Terry O'Connor considered low, halting the action to allow the champion to recover.

It was in the fifth when Crolla landed a promising right hand that opened a cut by Linares' right eye, but it took until the sixth when the challenger showed his first signs of fatigue. Just when it appeared the action would begin to favour the champion, Linares threw the fight's best punch when he landed a big right.

The injured Crolla was forced to retreat back onto the ropes, where he appeared at threat of being stopped and remained content to survive until the round concluded. Linares had expended significant energy attempting to finish the fight, so the question became whether he had used too much.

Even with his stamina depleted, however, Linares' greater technique ensured the fight's second half remained competitive, and he prevented Crolla from building the lead his work-rate sought.

His timing and jab continued to impress, even discouraging the champion, and ensured that entering the final two, Crolla appeared to need to win both to stand any chance of earning a decision from the judges.

The Mancunian, bleeding by his left eye, increasingly appeared the fighter who once looked unlikely to progress beyond domestic or European level. He was also fighting one who - even if he had never previously gone 12 rounds - is clearly world-class.

Crolla's career has already been better than many expected, but the final stages of the fight simply confirmed the suspicion that his level had been found. The exchanges he needed to change the fight continued to elude him, and ensured his defeat via scores of 115-114, 117-111, 115-113 on the three judges' scorecards.

The 31-year-old Linares came close to tears when speaking after the fight, and told Sky Sports: "We gave Manchester a beautiful fight, and we can do it again.

"I hurt my hand in the sixth round, I backed off a little bit, worked, did strategy, but told my corner in the 10th 'I'm going to go and close these next three rounds' and I think that's what got me the victory.

"Once my hand heals, I'll go back to the gym, start training, and why not come back to England? Why not come back to Manchester? I love it here. Anthony Crolla deserves a rematch. Why not do it again?"

Crolla's promoter Eddie Hearn insisted a rematch was already agreed, and the lightweight said: "It was a close fight. I've got no complaints. I made a few mistakes, walked onto a few sharp counters.

"He rocked my world, I'm not going to lie. My head's still spinning now. I'm absolutely gutted. It's a pleasure to share the ring with a great like Jorge Linares but I don't celebrate losing, I'm absolutely gutted.

"He's the best I've shared the ring with. I've got to make sure I win a rematch."

Hearn added: "It's not 'Will there be a rematch?'. There will be a rematch, there's already an agreement for a rematch. He will rematch Jorge Linares in Manchester. He will get another shot and he will beat him."