Manchester United produced a clinical display to earn a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley.
Scholes delivers masterclass in possession in front of Capello
Paul Scholes inspired Manchester United to a clinical display to earn a 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield at Wembley.
Antonio Valencia scored the opening goal in the first half before setting up summer signing Javier Hernandez for a freakishly fortuitous second after half-time, while Dimitar Berbatov scored a magnificent third after Salomon Kalou's consolation.
But the plaudits of the perennial season curtain-raiser should also go to United veteran Scholes as the 35-year-old delivered a vintage display to dictate the midfield at Wembley.
It was an added, ironic twist that Scholes should conjure such an impressive lesson in long and short-range possession in a match which was billed as the chance to move on from the World Cup.
Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and John Terry were booed by respective rival fans following their abject performances in England's dismal failure in South Africa, while the watching Fabio Capello was also singled out for verbal abuse.
Scholes had ignored Capello's attempts to lure him out of international retirement prior to the World Cup and his outing on the seemingly perfect, newly-relaid pitch was a wrench of the knife in the torso of England's boss as he prepares for Wednesday's friendly against Hungary.
Kalou set up a lively finish with his late tap-in, but United, led by Scholes, were the better team in the decisive areas of the pitch and last season's Premier League and FA Cup Double-winners Chelsea will be hugely disappointed by their afternoon.
Michael Carrick was a shock starter for United after the midfielder had only made a surprise return to training on Saturday, having previously been ruled out for a fortnight by boss Sir Alex Ferguson due to an ankle injury.
Michael Owen made Ferguson's first XI alongside Rooney in what was the former's first competitive appearance since injuring his hamstring at the same venue in February's Carling Cup final.
Laid back
Goalkeeper Hilario started in goal for Chelsea, who lifted the Shield after defeating United on penalties last season, in the injury-enforced absence of Petr Cech, while Branislav Ivanovic partnered Terry at centre-back and Didier Drogba was on the bench as he worked his way back to full fitness.
Carlo Ancelotti was characteristically laid back ahead of kick-off, but the Italian will have been concerned after admitting his disappointment at a pre-season when Wednesday's loss to Hamburg came in the wake of successive defeats to Ajax and Eintracht Frankfurt.
And the former AC Milan boss will have been even more worried by the manner in which a long pass from Rooney dissected his defence in the opening minutes, with Cole misjudging the flight, before Hilario gathered Valencia's weak lob.
Midfield maestro Scholes was relishing his outing, but his radar was a little off when he miscued a volley after arriving inside the 18-yard area with trademark timing.
The Community Shield is usually more about psychology than tactics, clichés about stating intent and putting down a marker, and it was clear that Chelsea did not enjoy the fact that they were playing second fiddle to a team they also beat twice in the league in 2009/10 to pip their rivals to the title by one point.
They promptly responded in an entertaining opening. Nicolas Anelka tried his luck from 20 yards, Edwin van der Sar spilled the dipping
