Fergie named a strong United side as he made an emotional return to Pittodrie. Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Nemanja Vidic and Mikael Silvestre made up a strong back four - with Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs also included in the starting XI.

18-year-old 'keeper Ben Amos and 21-year-old midfielder Lee Martin were the less familiar names to take to the field as United sported their new white away jerseys.

United enjoyed more possession during a competitive opening period but were frustrated by a lack of clear cut chances. Darren Mackie had the ball in the net for the hosts on 22 minutes - but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Giggs and Martin both went close for United - but the deadlock was broken on 44 minutes from the penalty-spot. Jamie Langfield tugged down Wayne Rooney as he closed down on goal - and the referee Calum Murray showed little hesitation in awarding the spot-kick. Carrick duly obliged from twelve yards and United took a slender lead in with them at the interval.

At half-time, a full-house at Pittodrie was treated to a mini-match with Aberdeen's 1983 'Gothenburg Greats' taking on a ‘Select XI' brought together by pro golfer and Dons fan Paul Lawrie. It ended goalless.

Both sides made a host of half-time changes. The hosts made five changes; United made three with Danny Simpson, John O'Shea and Chris Eagles entering the fray. The changes prompted a revolving door of second-half substitutions with Jonny Evans, Frazier Campbell, Darron Gibson and academy 'keeper Gary Woods all getting a run-out for United.

Both teams had chances to add to the scoresheet before Rooney doubled the Red Devils' lead on seventy minutes. The 22-year-old met an inviting cross from Darren Fletcher to glance a neat header passed Dons substitute 'keeper Bertrand Bossu. Job done.

Eagles should have added to United's tally in the closing moments as he fired wide of an empty net - but Fergie will leave Scotland's third largest city with a smile on his face after watching his Red Devils side put in a thoroughly professional display.

Aberdeen: Langfield (Bossu 46); Foster, Severin, Diamond, Considine (Duff 46); De Visscher (Paton 81), McDonald (Mair 46), Kerr (Young 46), J Smith (S Smith 73); Miller (Stewart 81), Mackie (Maguire 46).

Manchester United: Amos (Woods 73); Neville (Simpson 46), Brown (Evans 61), Vidic (O'Shea 46), Silvestre; Fletcher, Carrick, Scholes (Campbell 61), Martin (Eagles 46); Rooney (Hewson 73), Giggs (Gibson 61).

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