In the final pre-season friendly before United look to defend their Premier League crown, they take on Harry Reknapp's FA Cup winners, Portsmouth, in the Wembley showpiece.

The current Charity Shield holders have alot of first team players missing, namely: Saha, Rooney, Carrick, Ronaldo, Park, Ferdinand and Hargreaves, while Anderson is on Olympic duty with Brazil, and Nani will be suspended. Still, this has given some of the younger players a chance to impress, with Evans, Possebon, Gibson and Rafael all having started the campaign well.

Wembley plays host to the annual season curtain raiser on Sunday as Manchester United take on Portsmouth.

The glorified friendly encounter pitches the Premier League champions, United, against the FA Cup holders, Pompey.

The Red Devils are the current guardians of the Shield, having overcome Chelsea on penalties 12 months ago, while their opponents have not got their hands on the trophy since 1949 - and even then they had to share it with Wolves.

Both sides may have lofty expectations heading into the new season, but history has tended to dictate that whoever emerges victorious in this contest can expect to fall short in the title race.

There have been obvious exceptions to this rule, but on only two occasions in the last 10 years have the holders of the Community Shield added the Premier League crown to their trophy cabinet.

United will be hoping to buck that trend for a second consecutive season, while they will also be keen to exact revenge on the FA Cup quarter-final defeat they suffered at the hands of Harry Redknapp's men last term which ended their treble dreams.

That success for the South Coast side was their first over United away from Fratton Park since they returned to the top flight back in 2003, so they will be looking to claim another confidence-boosting scalp.

The two sides should know what to expect from each other, as a recent pre-season friendly in Nigeria provided the ideal warm-up to the Wembley encounter.

Sir Alex Ferguson's team emerged as 2-1 victors in Abuja, but Pompey did enough to suggest that they will push United close once again this weekend.
Duo could return

United's injury concerns appear to have eased ahead of the trip to London, with Michael Carrick and Wayne Ronney returning to Ferguson's thoughts.

The duo had been struggling with a virus but both men appear to have shaken off their respective illnesses and are back in training, although Rooney will not be risked.

Gary Neville and Nani are both fit to take their place in the side, with the latter almost certain to feature ahead of completing a ban which will rule him out of the opening two games of the season.

Owen Hargreaves is not yet ready for a return to action, but is hoping to be back in the fold for United's trip to Fratton Park on 25th August.

Kanu doubt

Portsmouth's FA Cup hero Kanu faces a race against time to prove he is fit enough to face the champions.

The striker picked up a dead leg while on international duty with Nigeria and has been stepping up his rehabilitation in order to face United.

With fellow forward David Nugent sidelined with a groin problem, youngster Ben Sahar - on loan from Chelsea - could be included.

Captain Sol Campbell is recovering from a virus and is expected to lead Redknapp's men, but fellow former Gunner, Lauren, is a doubt with a dead leg.

I can see United being too strong and taking it in 90 minutes.

United in 90 Minutes

Date: Sunday, 10 August Kick-off: 1500 BST Venue: Wembley Stadium
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says he will use the Community Shield to improve his players' fitness.

"It's always a game we never quite use as a do-or-die thing, we use it as a barometer for fitness," said Ferguson.

"At this particular time, we are not in the best position fitness-wise but it doesn't concern me unduly.

"There is a great quality in the squad and a great enthusiasm. A lot of them are exhilarated by winning the European Cup last season."

The defending Premier League champions will be captained by Gary Neville, who is making only his second competitive appearance since breaking his ankle in March 2007.

The England right-back sustained a calf strain in training earlier this week but Ferguson believes Neville and midfielder Michael Carrick, who contracted a bug in Nigeria, need to play ahead of the opening Premier League game against Newcastle next week.


If I'm honest, I think I love beating United more than I would love beating even Arsenal

Tony Adams
"They need some minutes on the clock before the start of the season," added the Scot, who will be making his 12th Community Shield appearance in 16 years.

"The Community Shield is a prestigious match but I have used players in it who were not quite fit and we are more or less in the same situation again."

United will be without the talents of the injured Cristiano Ronaldo, who is recovering from ankle surgery, while United's team has been further depleted by pre-season injuries to Owen Hargreaves, Ben Foster, Louis Saha and Park Ji-Sung.

Ferguson may not have made any signings in the summer but he believes his squad has the depth to compete on Sunday, even though he predicted Portsmouth's strike partnership of £11m summer signing Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe would be a handful.

Wayne Rooney (left) and Kanu
Manchester United and Portsmouth parade last season's trophies
"Portsmouth are always a difficult team to play against," said Ferguson.

"They had a great season last year and now Harry [Redknapp] has brought Crouch into the squad, the partnership of Crouch and Defoe will be a handful for anyone now but hopefully we can cope with that."

Crouch, who scored the winner for Liverpool in the 2006 Community Shield against Chelsea, described the season's traditional curtain-raiser as a "fantastic occasion".

"Sunday is going to be a really difficult match, but we will be fit and ready and hopefully we will give them a good game," said the England striker. "It's the first game of the season and all the new signings are out."

The Portsmouth line-up is unlikely to show many changes from the side that won the FA Cup in May.

Sol Campbell looks likely to recover from a virus, but midfielders Lassana Diarra and Sean Davis could miss out after sustaining ankle and hip injuries respectively, while match-winner Nwankwo Kanu is likely to start on the substitutes' bench.

Portsmouth assistant Tony Adams admitted he would relish beating United at Wembley.

"Alex? He's outstanding. The way he consistently produces great teams and has developed players as well as bought them, I have the utmost respect for him," said the former Arsenal and England captain.

"He is a great man at a great club but there is just something about him and them that I love beating.

"If I'm honest, I think I love beating them more than I would love beating even Arsenal. It's just something that's there - just like Alex always wants to beat Liverpool, maybe. "

United in 90 mins for me

united 90 minuetes- 2-1 18th minuete manu, 67th minute manu, 87th minuete ports

united in 90 munites