Antonio Valencia's goal gave Manchester United a half-time lead in today's Community Shield against Chelsea.
The Ecuador winger swept home Wayne Rooney's superb cross four minutes before the break at Wembley.
Both sides missed chances to score in a 15-minute spell earlier in the half, the best of them falling to Branislav Ivanovic, whose header was brilliantly saved by Edwin van der Sar.
Michael Carrick was a shock starter for Manchester United in today's Community Shield at Wembley.
England midfielder Carrick was ruled out for a fortnight by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson just two days ago and, although he did train yesterday, his selection against Chelsea was a huge surprise.
Michael Owen started alongside Rooney in what was his first competitive appearance since injuring his hamstring at the same venue in February's Carling Cup final.
Owen last week hinted the much maligned Wembley pitch may have been to blame for the problem, and the surface was duly reinforced last month with synthetic fibres.
In a move which summed up his relaxed attitude towards this afternoon's fixture, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti named his starting XI days ago.
Hilario got the nod in goal, Ivanovic partnered John Terry at the back, while Didier Drogba was only the bench.
Sunday’s clash was a repeat of last year's contest, which Chelsea won on penalties, denying United a hat-trick of Shield victories.
The contest sprung into life in the fifth minute when Ashley Cole - whose every touch was jeered by United supporters - misjudged a crossfield ball from Rooney, giving Antonio Valencia a sight of goal.
The winger tried to chip Hilario from just inside the box but did not get enough height on the ball.
Valencia turned provider four minutes later, his right-wing cross met full on the volley by the unmarked Paul Scholes, who could not keep the ball down.
Moments later, Edwin van der Sar spilt a 25-yard strike from Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou was first to the rebound, but could only send the ball back across goal and away to safety.
Van der Sar made amends brilliantly seven minutes later, springing left to turn aside Ivanovic's six-yard header from Florent Malouda's free-kick.
The action immediately swung back to the other end, a delightful clipped ball by Scholes finding Rooney six yards out, but the England striker scuffed his finish wide from a tight angle.
Park Ji-Sung then saw a half-volley blocked by Paulo Ferreira, with Rooney's cries of handball rightly falling on deaf ears.
The frantic pace relented until the 40th minute, when the excellent Scholes played in Owen, this time with a clever header.
But the striker could only hook the ball wide via an Ivanovic clearance.
Scholes' latest gem of a crossfield ball a minute later helped break the deadlock.
Rooney drifted to the right to collect it before matching it with a brilliant first-time cross that was swept into the net by Valencia.
Moments before half-time, Michael Essien sent a 30-yard half-volley wide as Chelsea tried to hit back.
United made a triple substitution at half-time, replacing Rooney, Owen and Park with Dimitar Berbatov, Nani and summer signing Javier Hernandez.
Chelsea started the second period on top, Malouda flashing a 20-yard shot narrowly wide six minutes in.
But Scholes almost proved their undoing again, his 50-yard ball finding Hernandez, whose cunning reverse pass was just too far in front of a lunging Berbatov.
John Obi Mikel then pulled off a Scholes-like ball to Kalou but the Ivory Coast striker could not take it in his stride.
That proved Mikel's last major contribution as Drogba entered the fray on the hour, with Daniel Sturridge joining him for Anelka.
Carrick failed to connect properly on the turn with a Nani pass seconds later, while Kalou's first-time bullet was too close to Van der Sar.
Essien then curled narrowly wide from 25 yards, while Van der Sar was quick off his line to prevent Malouda reaching a Drogba ball.
The goalkeeper then blotted his copybook again by palming a Paulo Ferreira cross straight to Cole before snaffling the full-back's tame finish.
Moments later, Hernandez slipped trying to turn in Berbatov's cutback.
Sturridge screwed a long-range effort wide before Hernandez helped himself to a debut goal in comic fashion 14 minutes from time.
John O'Shea released Valencia down the right and the winger's low cross was met by Hernandez, who slipped again, kicking the ball against his own face and into the net.
Both sides made a double substitution, Cole and Ferreira off for Yuri Zhirkov and Jeffrey Bruma, with Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher replacing Scholes and Carrick.
Sturridge wasted a golden opportunity to pull a goal back seven minutes from time when he shot too close to Van der Saar after an inch-perfect sliderule pass from Essien.
But Van der Saar handed Chelsea a lifeline seconds later when he parried the striker's next shot straight to Kalou, who swept home the rebound.
Last season's double winners were well on top and Drogba hit the side-netting from the narrowest of angles.
Kalou failed to control a Drogba cross in stoppage-time before United sealed victory, Nani releasing Berbatov, who coolly lobbed the ball over a stranded Hilario.
The Ecuador winger swept home Wayne Rooney's superb cross four minutes before the break at Wembley.
Both sides missed chances to score in a 15-minute spell earlier in the half, the best of them falling to Branislav Ivanovic, whose header was brilliantly saved by Edwin van der Sar.
Michael Carrick was a shock starter for Manchester United in today's Community Shield at Wembley.
England midfielder Carrick was ruled out for a fortnight by United boss Sir Alex Ferguson just two days ago and, although he did train yesterday, his selection against Chelsea was a huge surprise.
Michael Owen started alongside Rooney in what was his first competitive appearance since injuring his hamstring at the same venue in February's Carling Cup final.
Owen last week hinted the much maligned Wembley pitch may have been to blame for the problem, and the surface was duly reinforced last month with synthetic fibres.
In a move which summed up his relaxed attitude towards this afternoon's fixture, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti named his starting XI days ago.
Hilario got the nod in goal, Ivanovic partnered John Terry at the back, while Didier Drogba was only the bench.
Sunday’s clash was a repeat of last year's contest, which Chelsea won on penalties, denying United a hat-trick of Shield victories.
The contest sprung into life in the fifth minute when Ashley Cole - whose every touch was jeered by United supporters - misjudged a crossfield ball from Rooney, giving Antonio Valencia a sight of goal.
The winger tried to chip Hilario from just inside the box but did not get enough height on the ball.
Valencia turned provider four minutes later, his right-wing cross met full on the volley by the unmarked Paul Scholes, who could not keep the ball down.
Moments later, Edwin van der Sar spilt a 25-yard strike from Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou was first to the rebound, but could only send the ball back across goal and away to safety.
Van der Sar made amends brilliantly seven minutes later, springing left to turn aside Ivanovic's six-yard header from Florent Malouda's free-kick.
The action immediately swung back to the other end, a delightful clipped ball by Scholes finding Rooney six yards out, but the England striker scuffed his finish wide from a tight angle.
Park Ji-Sung then saw a half-volley blocked by Paulo Ferreira, with Rooney's cries of handball rightly falling on deaf ears.
The frantic pace relented until the 40th minute, when the excellent Scholes played in Owen, this time with a clever header.
But the striker could only hook the ball wide via an Ivanovic clearance.
Scholes' latest gem of a crossfield ball a minute later helped break the deadlock.
Rooney drifted to the right to collect it before matching it with a brilliant first-time cross that was swept into the net by Valencia.
Moments before half-time, Michael Essien sent a 30-yard half-volley wide as Chelsea tried to hit back.
United made a triple substitution at half-time, replacing Rooney, Owen and Park with Dimitar Berbatov, Nani and summer signing Javier Hernandez.
Chelsea started the second period on top, Malouda flashing a 20-yard shot narrowly wide six minutes in.
But Scholes almost proved their undoing again, his 50-yard ball finding Hernandez, whose cunning reverse pass was just too far in front of a lunging Berbatov.
John Obi Mikel then pulled off a Scholes-like ball to Kalou but the Ivory Coast striker could not take it in his stride.
That proved Mikel's last major contribution as Drogba entered the fray on the hour, with Daniel Sturridge joining him for Anelka.
Carrick failed to connect properly on the turn with a Nani pass seconds later, while Kalou's first-time bullet was too close to Van der Sar.
Essien then curled narrowly wide from 25 yards, while Van der Sar was quick off his line to prevent Malouda reaching a Drogba ball.
The goalkeeper then blotted his copybook again by palming a Paulo Ferreira cross straight to Cole before snaffling the full-back's tame finish.
Moments later, Hernandez slipped trying to turn in Berbatov's cutback.
Sturridge screwed a long-range effort wide before Hernandez helped himself to a debut goal in comic fashion 14 minutes from time.
John O'Shea released Valencia down the right and the winger's low cross was met by Hernandez, who slipped again, kicking the ball against his own face and into the net.
Both sides made a double substitution, Cole and Ferreira off for Yuri Zhirkov and Jeffrey Bruma, with Ryan Giggs and Darren Fletcher replacing Scholes and Carrick.
Sturridge wasted a golden opportunity to pull a goal back seven minutes from time when he shot too close to Van der Saar after an inch-perfect sliderule pass from Essien.
But Van der Saar handed Chelsea a lifeline seconds later when he parried the striker's next shot straight to Kalou, who swept home the rebound.
Last season's double winners were well on top and Drogba hit the side-netting from the narrowest of angles.
Kalou failed to control a Drogba cross in stoppage-time before United sealed victory, Nani releasing Berbatov, who coolly lobbed the ball over a stranded Hilario.
