Reds' loyalty bonus
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Sir Alex Ferguson has not ruled out using Wayne Rooney in tandem with Manchester United new-boy Javier Hernandez this season.
Rooney scored an impressive 34 goals last term after Ferguson opted to use his number one striker largely on his own.
Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen are again around to lend support but the Red Devils also have another predator on their books now in the form of Hernandez.
Already the Mexico World Cup star has scored three times in as many pre-season games, including one against United for his old club Chivas, and will be out to make it four on the trot in Sunday's Community Shield encounter with Chelsea at Wembley.
Such form will not be easy for Ferguson to ignore once the competitive action starts next weekend, and the Old Trafford chief admits he could be tempted to play his new recruit alongside his Rooney.
"We have not tried anything like it yet but we have played two strikers in the past," conceded Ferguson.
"It doesn't mean it will happen every week but it will happen on some occasions.
"Hernandez has had a good start. He is an intelligent player with tremendous pace and penetration.
"The Mexican league is tough, so bringing players to England from there is not going to be a problem."
Ferguson does not intend to read too much into Sunday's result.
With so many just back from their World Cup exertions, Ferguson knows it is more important to ensure his players all have enough match practice under their belts, which means Rooney, Park Ji-sung and Nemanja Vidic may all have their appearances restricted, along with Owen and Antonio Valencia, who are only just back from injury.
"We always take the long view," he said.
"There is no point pushing players too early, so I don't think we will get the benefit of these players until the third week of the season.
"The World Cup is probably the pinnacle of a lot of players' careers. The intensity and profile of it means it does take a lot out of them and we have to give them a proper rest.
"It does mean early in the season because there is a little bit of risk in terms of knowing players are 100 per cent ready to be involved in these games."
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Sir Alex Ferguson hopes his three goalscorers against Chelsea have served notice of a bright season ahead.
Despite only making one previous pre-season appearance, Antonio Valencia gave Ashley Cole a torrid time at Wembley and opened the scoring with a delightful goal. Following an impressive first season, the Ecuadorian could again be a major player for United this term.
"Antonio was excellent, absolutely superb," Sir Alex told MUTV. "This year he speaks English far better and that brings a great advantage in terms of communication. He's going to improve. You saw the signs last year and he had a great season.
"This year he'll have more authority, more confidence in the people around him and we've got more confidence in him. We kept giving him the ball, and that's an indication of what the players think of him. They couldn't feed him quick enough because he's such a threat and so powerful and strong."
Chicharito somehow contrived to head home his own shot for United's second but, despite the comedic nature of the goal, Sir Alex is delighted with the way the Mexican has bedded in at his new club, and expects him to handle life in the spotlight.
"I think he can handle that (hype)," he said. "He's got a nice personality and nice manners, he speaks the language well and he's integrated into the first team squad very well. The players love him. His goal today, it was going in anyway, but fortuitously it hit his head and it counts as a header! It was unbelievable."
Fellow substitute Dimitar Berbatov lobbed home United's clinching goal in injury-time, and the Bulgarian is also tipped to showcase his unquestioned talent on a more sustained basis.
"It was a beautiful goal," said the manager. "He's got outstanding class, he's got genius in him at times. Maybe this'll be his best season because I don't think he enjoyed some of the publicity last year. Everybody's sensitive to these things but today, as he's shown many times at the club since he came, he's got wonderful talent."
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Sir Alex feels the club's faith in nurturing young talent over the years has led to a unique loyalty which will continue to stand the Reds in good stead in the future.
The boss has added three more budding stars to his squad this summer following the arrival of Mexican striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, defender Chris Smalling and Portuguese attacker Bebe.
And Sir Alex is hoping the trio will follow in the footsteps of some of the club's most decorated servants.
"Having young players does introduce a loyalty and a spirit that will serve us well," he said.
"You see that with Giggs, Scholes and Neville. Maybe they are rare examples to talk about. But they are examples - and good examples.
"We feel the same in the case of John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher, Wes Brown - Darren has been at the club since he was 12. That is 14 years. You don't think that. You think he is still a young player. Wes has been with us since he was 10. He is 30 now.
"Young players develop if you are looking after them properly. I think they do that very well. They do have a good loyalty because they appreciate the education you give them as coaches."Developing potential is, Sir Alex says, simply the norm at Old Trafford and an intrinsic trait which the club are extremely proud of.
"How we treat players is important," he added. "It is difficult to understand what other clubs think. We are just the type of club who can do it.
"The foundations of the club were built on young people, going back to the 1950s. It has not really left. It has always been there. Maybe the difference is that other clubs don't have the consistency in manager and staff that Manchester United has. Maybe that is the distinction."