Chelsea against Manchester United

Ballack now for the Blues. He strikes it right into the corner. 2-0 Chelsea.

Giggs for United. He also hits it down the middle but Cech saves with his feet.

Lampard will take the first one for Chelsea. He smashes it down the middle and scores. 1-0.

Here we go...

Will John Terry, who missed a vital spot kick in the Champions League final against United, take one?

United will see that as a deserved equaliser as the final whistle blows. We go to straight penalties.

Giggs plays a great through-ball for Rooney, who races clear of the Chelsea defence. Cech rushes out and Rooney dinks the ball past the keeper and into the net. GOAL!

Owen breaks on the right and is cynically chopped down by Carvalho. It's a good foul from Chelsea's point of view as the freekick is wasted.

United are getting sloppy in midfield. Carrick's stray pass is typical of the past few moments.

Owen gets his head to the freekick but can only flick the ball onto the fists of Cech, who has rushed off his line.

Kalou fouls Valencia, who hasn't been great since he came on, and United have chance to put the ball in the box.

Owen goes up for a header and handles the ball. The striker gets booked for a deliberate hand-ball as time ticks away.

Rafael whips in a cross. Rooney is backing away from the goal and his header loops onto the roof of the net.

Another change for the Blues. Kalou comes on to replace Anelka in attack.

The whistle blows for a freekick as Drogba climbs all over Evans. A decision greeted by ironic cheers from the United fans.

Evra races back to make a good tackle on Drogba. The little Frenchman certainly hasn't given up this fight... sometimes literally.

Right, back to the action. Chelsea have control of the ball until Evra clatters into Ballack with what can only be described as a revenge tackle. Evra gets booked.

Chelsea make a substitution: Malouda goes off and is replaced by Deco.

In the midst of all those changes Drogba froces Foster to make his best save of the match with a blistering strike from the edge of the box.

Okay subs: Off go Park, Berbatov and O'Shea and on come Scholes, Owen and Rafael.

Debate will rage over that goal. United's response is to prepare a few substitutes.

Evra is still flat out and United are furious that the game was not stopped. The TV replay shows that Ballack purposefully body-checked Evra.

... Drogba plays the ball across to Lampard, who scores on contentious circumstances. GOAL!

Evra attacks down left and gets shouldered in the face by Ballack. Play goes on and Chelsea are three on two...

A terrible pass from Fletcher gives possession to Chelsea's Ballack. Some good defending from O'Shea wins it back for United.

Carrick attacks down the right. Cole gets an important touch on the United midfielder's cross and averts danger.

Ballack collides with Essien. The German stays on the floor and the ref stops the play. Both players are fine and play restarts.

Chelsea make a change. Mikel is replaced by Ballack. the german goes out to the right and Essien moves to the base of the midfield diamond formation.

Valencia's first touch is not a great one and he loses possession. The winger gives away a freekick as he attempts to win the ball back.

The game gets back underway and Chelsea are straight on the attack. Carrick blocks Essien's shot on the edge of the area.

It looks like it is Nani's shoulder that is the problem. Anyway, the goalscorer is going off and Valencia is coming on for United.

Terry makes a good tackle on Nani but the winger stays down injured. Play goes on before the referee blows his whistle so that Nani can get some treatment.

Malouda clips a cross into area. Drogba leaps but gets a little nudge from Evans on the way up and can't make contact with the ball.

Berbatov rides a challenge from Carvalho, but his through-pass is to hard for Rooney and not firm enough for Park.

Chelsea are back in it now. Can United respond?

Cole chips the ball in for Drogba, who collides with Foster as the keeper tries to punch clear. The ball drops to Carvalho and the defender knocks it into the empty net. GOAL!

Park and Rooney combine on the edge of the box. Rooney prepares to shoot and Cole arrives from nowhere to block the England striker's effort. Great defending.

Bosingwa races down the flank and receives the ball from Lampard. However, the defender's first cross is not very good.

Lampard plays a superb through-ball into the box for Malouda, who gets the ball stuck under his feet and by the time he has sorted himself out the United defence has recovered.

Chelsea have made change for the second-half. Bosingwa is on for Ivanovic at right-back.

Manchester United started quickly and were rewarded with a goal, but Chelsea fought back and have created enough to worry the Red Devils.

The ref blows the whistle and the first-half comes to an end... much to the delight of a few tired players.

The players seem happy to wait for half-time now.

Rooney breaks out off defence down the left. Nani is in acres of space on the right but Rooney's attempted pass is blocked by Terry. That was a vital interception by the Chelsea skipper.

Nani takes a short corner to Fletcher. The Scot turns on the left corner of the area and fires in a shot that Cech tips over the bar at full stretch. Great effort!

Ivanovic's deflected cross loops into the area and skids of the turf just inches ahead of Drogba. Foster is quick to collect the ball.

Anelka finds a bit of space on the edge of the box. He looks up and shoots but his effort curls wide of the far post.

Essien makes a brilliant turn with the ball in midfield but he can't shake off a tenacious Evra, who gets back to make the tackle.

Chelsea have come into the game more now and it is about even at the moment... apart from the score, of course.

United have struggled to deal with corners and they look all over the place once more, but the whistle blows for a foul on Fletcher by Terry.

Anelka cuts in from the left, beats O'Shea and fires in a shot that Ferdinand heads behind for a corner.

Berbatov wins a tackle and prods the ball to Nani, who beats two defenders and races into the box. But the winger quickly runs out of pitch and can only shoot into the sidenetting from a very tight angle.

Foster once again struggles to deal with a back pass. Drogba sniffs blood and challenges once again as the keeper blunders. United eventually manage to clear the danger.

Foster gets his feet all in a muddle and Drogba nearly makes him pay for his slow and hashed clearence.

Cole makes great progress down the left and delivers a great cross the the back post. Evra is caught under the ball as Essien arrives at speed and heads over the bar. Essien really should have hit the target there.

Berbatov is chasing down and pressuring Ivanovic - very unlike the languid Bulgarian.

...Lampard smashes the freekick straight into the wall. Drogba flicks the ball to the back post, where Malouda gets his volley all wrong and wastes a good chance.

Essien wins a cheap freekick as Berbatov helps out in defence. This is within shooting range.....

Park brings down a wonderful pass from O'Shea with an equally wonderful touch, but he can't get a shot off as Carvalho executes a perfectly timed tackle.

Chelsea can't find a way through in the middle so probe the flanks. Ivanovic provides an overlap but his cross is not worthy of the run he made to get into position.

Anelka fires in a low cross that Fletcher hacks clear. But once again when the second ball is delivered it is poor.

O'Shea hangs out a leg to bring down Malouda and brings a halt to a rare Chelsea attack. The resulting freekick ends up in the hands of Foster.

Essien helps out on the left flank and makes a good tackle on Nani, who fouls the Ghana midfielder trying to win the ball back.

United have started really well. Chelsea just need to get their foot on the ball and get some confidence.

Park and Berbatov play the ball around Mikel in midfield. Berbatov races into the box and shoots. But Cech races off his line and makes a good save.

O'Shea brings the ball out of defence and sets Berbatov free down the right. The Bulgarian crosses for Rooney, who heads the ball down for Park, who scuffs his shot wide. A great move!

Nani's freekick is headed clear. Rooney and Park try to work the ball back into the box but Chelsea hold firm.

Ivanovic is getting the run-around now and hacks down Evra again. The Russian gets booked and United have another freekick.

Ivanovic chops down Evra on the left flank and United have a freekick. Nani whips it in to the near post but the Blues clear.

That was trademark from Nani, who might get a good run in the side now Ronaldo has gone, and Chelsea, particularly Cech, should have seen that coming.

A great ball by Fletcher finds Nani on the left wing. Evra draws the defender with an overlapping run, Nani cuts inside and fires a long-range shot into the far corner. GOAL!

United work the ball well to suck Essien in-field. Evra exploits the space out wide but his cross is awful.

Chelsea keep possession. Cole bursts out of defence and goes past Park before playing a poor ball forward for Anelka.

Chelsea win a corner. Lampard swings it, Ivanovic prods the ball towards goal and Evra heads his effort onto the bar. So close for the Blues!

Rooney takes a pass from out wide and flicks a pass through for Berbatov in a slick movement. Berbatov chases but Terry is quick to make a tackle.

Berbatov gets booked for stopping a quick freekick... but the cards don't count for the season total.

Ferdinand drops off Drogba, who collects a hard pass from Essien. The striker turns and shoots from 20-yards to bring a regulation save from Foster.

Chelsea adopt a midfield diamond.

Rooney is starting up in a attack alongside Berbatov, with Nani on the left and Park on the right in a 4-4-2.

Chelsea get the game underway, kicking from left to right, in all blue. United are in their regular red and white strip.

First we have a minutes applause for the sadly departed Sir Bobby Robson - former England manager and gentleman.

So here we go then. Life after Ronaldo begins today and the season is only moments away.

Ivanovic gets the nod for Chelsea at right-back and Malouda starts ahead of Zhirkov, who is injured.

So foster gets the nod for Manchester United - with VDS out injured he looks to be the number one now. also, no place in the first 11 for Owen, but that is no real surprise.

Man Utd team: Foster, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Giggs, Scholes, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia, Gibson.

Chelsea Team: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka. Subs: Hilario, Ballack, Bosingwa, Deco, Kalou, Alex, Belletti.

Join us at 15.00 UK for this season's curtain raiser as Premier League champions Manchester United face FA Cup winners Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.

Evra races back to make a good tackle on Drogba. The little Frenchman certainly hasn't given up this fight... sometimes literally.

Right, back to the action. Chelsea have control of the ball until Evra clatters into Ballack with what can only be described as a revenge tackle. Evra gets booked.

Chelsea make a substitution: Malouda goes off and is replaced by Deco.

In the midst of all those changes Drogba froces Foster to make his best save of the match with a blistering strike from the edge of the box.

Okay subs: Off go Park, Berbatov and O'Shea and on come Scholes, Owen and Rafael.

Debate will rage over that goal. United's response is to prepare a few substitutes.

Evra is still flat out and United are furious that the game was not stopped. The TV replay shows that Ballack purposefully body-checked Evra.

... Drogba plays the ball across to Lampard, who scores on contentious circumstances. GOAL!

Evra attacks down left and gets shouldered in the face by Ballack. Play goes on and Chelsea are three on two...

A terrible pass from Fletcher gives possession to Chelsea's Ballack. Some good defending from O'Shea wins it back for United.

Carrick attacks down the right. Cole gets an important touch on the United midfielder's cross and averts danger.

Ballack collides with Essien. The German stays on the floor and the ref stops the play. Both players are fine and play restarts.

Chelsea make a change. Mikel is replaced by Ballack. the german goes out to the right and Essien moves to the base of the midfield diamond formation.

Valencia's first touch is not a great one and he loses possession. The winger gives away a freekick as he attempts to win the ball back.

The game gets back underway and Chelsea are straight on the attack. Carrick blocks Essien's shot on the edge of the area.

It looks like it is Nani's shoulder that is the problem. Anyway, the goalscorer is going off and Valencia is coming on for United.

Terry makes a good tackle on Nani but the winger stays down injured. Play goes on before the referee blows his whistle so that Nani can get some treatment.

Malouda clips a cross into area. Drogba leaps but gets a little nudge from Evans on the way up and can't make contact with the ball.

Berbatov rides a challenge from Carvalho, but his through-pass is to hard for Rooney and not firm enough for Park.

Chelsea are back in it now. Can United respond?

Cole chips the ball in for Drogba, who collides with Foster as the keeper tries to punch clear. The ball drops to Carvalho and the defender knocks it into the empty net. GOAL!

Park and Rooney combine on the edge of the box. Rooney prepares to shoot and Cole arrives from nowhere to block the England striker's effort. Great defending.

Bosingwa races down the flank and receives the ball from Lampard. However, the defender's first cross is not very good.

Lampard plays a superb through-ball into the box for Malouda, who gets the ball stuck under his feet and by the time he has sorted himself out the United defence has recovered.

Chelsea have made change for the second-half. Bosingwa is on for Ivanovic at right-back.

Manchester United started quickly and were rewarded with a goal, but Chelsea fought back and have created enough to worry the Red Devils.

The ref blows the whistle and the first-half comes to an end... much to the delight of a few tired players.

The players seem happy to wait for half-time now.

Rooney breaks out off defence down the left. Nani is in acres of space on the right but Rooney's attempted pass is blocked by Terry. That was a vital interception by the Chelsea skipper.

Nani takes a short corner to Fletcher. The Scot turns on the left corner of the area and fires in a shot that Cech tips over the bar at full stretch. Great effort!

Ivanovic's deflected cross loops into the area and skids of the turf just inches ahead of Drogba. Foster is quick to collect the ball.

Anelka finds a bit of space on the edge of the box. He looks up and shoots but his effort curls wide of the far post.

Essien makes a brilliant turn with the ball in midfield but he can't shake off a tenacious Evra, who gets back to make the tackle.

Chelsea have come into the game more now and it is about even at the moment... apart from the score, of course.

United have struggled to deal with corners and they look all over the place once more, but the whistle blows for a foul on Fletcher by Terry.

Anelka cuts in from the left, beats O'Shea and fires in a shot that Ferdinand heads behind for a corner.

Berbatov wins a tackle and prods the ball to Nani, who beats two defenders and races into the box. But the winger quickly runs out of pitch and can only shoot into the sidenetting from a very tight angle.

Foster once again struggles to deal with a back pass. Drogba sniffs blood and challenges once again as the keeper blunders. United eventually manage to clear the danger.

Foster gets his feet all in a muddle and Drogba nearly makes him pay for his slow and hashed clearence.

Cole makes great progress down the left and delivers a great cross the the back post. Evra is caught under the ball as Essien arrives at speed and heads over the bar. Essien really should have hit the target there.

Berbatov is chasing down and pressuring Ivanovic - very unlike the languid Bulgarian.

...Lampard smashes the freekick straight into the wall. Drogba flicks the ball to the back post, where Malouda gets his volley all wrong and wastes a good chance.

Essien wins a cheap freekick as Berbatov helps out in defence. This is within shooting range.....

Park brings down a wonderful pass from O'Shea with an equally wonderful touch, but he can't get a shot off as Carvalho executes a perfectly timed tackle.

Chelsea can't find a way through in the middle so probe the flanks. Ivanovic provides an overlap but his cross is not worthy of the run he made to get into position.

Anelka fires in a low cross that Fletcher hacks clear. But once again when the second ball is delivered it is poor.

O'Shea hangs out a leg to bring down Malouda and brings a halt to a rare Chelsea attack. The resulting freekick ends up in the hands of Foster.

Essien helps out on the left flank and makes a good tackle on Nani, who fouls the Ghana midfielder trying to win the ball back.

United have started really well. Chelsea just need to get their foot on the ball and get some confidence.

Park and Berbatov play the ball around Mikel in midfield. Berbatov races into the box and shoots. But Cech races off his line and makes a good save.

O'Shea brings the ball out of defence and sets Berbatov free down the right. The Bulgarian crosses for Rooney, who heads the ball down for Park, who scuffs his shot wide. A great move!

Nani's freekick is headed clear. Rooney and Park try to work the ball back into the box but Chelsea hold firm.

Ivanovic is getting the run-around now and hacks down Evra again. The Russian gets booked and United have another freekick.

Ivanovic chops down Evra on the left flank and United have a freekick. Nani whips it in to the near post but the Blues clear.

That was trademark from Nani, who might get a good run in the side now Ronaldo has gone, and Chelsea, particularly Cech, should have seen that coming.

A great ball by Fletcher finds Nani on the left wing. Evra draws the defender with an overlapping run, Nani cuts inside and fires a long-range shot into the far corner. GOAL!

United work the ball well to suck Essien in-field. Evra exploits the space out wide but his cross is awful.

Chelsea keep possession. Cole bursts out of defence and goes past Park before playing a poor ball forward for Anelka.

Chelsea win a corner. Lampard swings it, Ivanovic prods the ball towards goal and Evra heads his effort onto the bar. So close for the Blues!

Rooney takes a pass from out wide and flicks a pass through for Berbatov in a slick movement. Berbatov chases but Terry is quick to make a tackle.

Berbatov gets booked for stopping a quick freekick... but the cards don't count for the season total.

Ferdinand drops off Drogba, who collects a hard pass from Essien. The striker turns and shoots from 20-yards to bring a regulation save from Foster.

Chelsea adopt a midfield diamond.

Rooney is starting up in a attack alongside Berbatov, with Nani on the left and Park on the right in a 4-4-2.

Chelsea get the game underway, kicking from left to right, in all blue. United are in their regular red and white strip.

First we have a minutes applause for the sadly departed Sir Bobby Robson - former England manager and gentleman.

So here we go then. Life after Ronaldo begins today and the season is only moments away.

Ivanovic gets the nod for Chelsea at right-back and Malouda starts ahead of Zhirkov, who is injured.

So foster gets the nod for Manchester United - with VDS out injured he looks to be the number one now. also, no place in the first 11 for Owen, but that is no real surprise.

Man Utd team: Foster, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Park, Fletcher, Carrick, Nani, Rooney, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Giggs, Scholes, Fabio Da Silva, Valencia, Gibson.

Chelsea Team: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Mikel, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka. Subs: Hilario, Ballack, Bosingwa, Deco, Kalou, Alex, Belletti.

Join us at 15.00 UK for this season's curtain raiser as Premier League champions Manchester United face FA Cup winners Chelsea at Wembley Stadium.