United on top as Chelsea count injuries
LONDON (Reuters) - Manchester United's victory over an injury-hit Chelsea in the Community Shield will give Alex Ferguson a lift and Jose Mourinho a reminder of some very unhappy memories.
United triumphed 3-0 in a penalty shoot-out at Wembley on Sunday after an unusually combative showcase game finished 1-1 in the regulation 90 minutes.
Unbowed after losing 1-0 to Chelsea in May's FA Cup final, United showed plenty of the attacking flair which had wrested the Premier League title from Mourinho's men last season.
Ryan Giggs opened the scoring in the 35th minute, forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney were a constant menace, while Patrice Evra made some penetrating runs down the left flank.
It was promising stuff, pending the return from injury of two United strikers, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and the impending debut of a third, Carlos Tevez.
United's firepower will be further increased by two other newcomers, Brazilian midfielder Anderson and Portuguese winger Nani, a second half substitute in north London.
Add the tenacity of England holding midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who made his United debut in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, and the future looks bright for Ferguson's side.
"We've identified the potential of a couple of players who we believe will eventually develop into top players in Nani and Anderson," Ferguson purred. Continued...
The earthships have landed