United 3 - 1 Chelsea

Paul Scholes enjoyed a vintage day out at Wembley as Manchester United lifted the Community Shield for an 18th time with a 3-1 win over English champions Chelsea.

United landed the first blow in the battle of the Premier League heavyweights at Wembley to lift the season’s first silverware, as Antonio Valencia, Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov gave the Reds an ultimately convincing win in the Community Shield at Wembley.

Sir Alex’s men were by far the better side in an entertaining first half, while Chelsea edged a slower-paced second 45 minutes. But the quality of United’s finishing decided it. Valencia’s beautifully-crafted first-half effort, Hernandez’s comically deflected effort and Berbatov’s wonderful, lofted effort late on secured the shield.

It may be the dawn of a new season, but Sir Alex continues to conjure selection surprises. When his teamsheet landed at quarter past two at Wembley, everyone was surprised to see Michael Carrick’s name alongside Paul Scholes in central midfield. Just two days earlier, the United boss said Carrick would miss the start of the season with an ankle injury.

United fans keen to see the Reds’ summer signings Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez would have to wait. Both players were named among a strong set of substitutes that also included, Dimitar Berbatov, Nani and Darren Fletcher.

Sir Alex was keen to use the game to further the match sharpness of Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Antonio Valencia and Ji-sung Park – who saw their first action of the summer in Ireland. But one noticeable aspect when you consider the players left out, is the strength of United’s squad. Wes Brown, Rafael, Tom Cleverley, Darron Gibson and Federico Macheda were all left out, seemingly by choice. While Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Gary Neville, Anderson and Gabriel Obertan are on their way back to full fitness, which bodes well for the season ahead. choose between United and Chelsea – the last two Community Shield encounters have gone to penalties (winning one apiece), and although the Reds were more positive and dominant early on, there was largely no change to that dynamic. The game started with more speed and energy than a game this early in the season has any right to produce. United were strong in the tackle, and in possession, and had the first real opening when Scholes – on top form dictating play – blazed a volley from Valencia’s right-win cross over the bar on eight minutes.

Chelsea weren’t far behind in registering their first effort. Nicolas Anelka stung the palms of Edwin van der Sar with a shot from distance. And the game continued to see-saw; Ivanovic’s header forced a fine fingertip save from United’s Dutch goalkeeper after 15 minutes, before Scholes’ lofted pass beat the off-side trap to find Rooney, who couldn’t quite tuck his shot on the turn inside the far post. Six minutes before the end of an entertaining first half, Owen’s lofted cross was nearly turned into his own net by Ivanovic’s desperate diving header.

But United’s pressure would soon pay off. On 41 minutes Scholes, who had been running the show all afternoon, sent a raking 50-yard ball for Rooney to chase down the right flank and United’s no.10 somehow picked a route for his pinpoint cross to Valencia through John Terry’s legs, and the Reds winger gleefully smashed the ball past Hilario to give Sir Alex’s men a fully-deserved first-half lead.

The opening 45 minutes had seen Carrick producing some of his finest football, Scholes running the show, Rooney and Valencia looking sharp, and all with United being the better team. But Sir Alex stuck with the plan to chop and change at half-time, with Javier Hernandez making his competitive debut as a half-time substitute for Ji-sung Park. Dimitar Berbatov and Nani joined him on the field in place of Rooney and Owen.

There was no hiding that Chelsea – going for it with Didier Drogba and Danny Sturridge coming on for John Obi Mikel and Nicolas Anelka - upped their game after the break. But they were mainly limited to efforts from distance in a second half that naturally lost some of its zip and vigour.

That said, this had always looked like being United’s day. And so it would prove to be when the win was wrapped up in bizarre fashion after 76 minutes. Valencia again made Cole look slow and cumbersome, racing onto O’Shea’s pass down the line. The Ecuadorian picked out Chicharito inside the six-yard box, but the Mexican’s shot deflected off his own face and into the net.

Chelsea grabbed a goal back with seven minutes remaining when van der Sar parried Sturridge’s shot into the path of Kalou, who rifled the ball in at the near post. It set up a tense finish, but United landed a final, conclusive blow when subsitutes Nani and Dimitar Berbatov combined to kill off the game in style, the Portuguese’s flicked pass creating space for a sumptuous chip from his Bulgarian team-mate. The Community Shield may not carry much weight in the honours list come the end of the season, but this confidence-boosting performance bodes well for the campaign ahead.