When we won there, they had Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov on the bench.
Paul Scholes, so influential for United in their prolonged triumphs under the Scot, joined him in retirement.
Meanwhile, Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes announced on Saturday that he will be retiring for the second time.
Rooney and Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes were sent off in a pre-season friendly against Porto and handed suspensions.
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Paul Scholes gave United a first-half lead, with John O'Shea and Kieran Richardson were on target after the break.
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It was clear Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes were more influential footballing figures in the Old Trafford pantheon.
The Italian revealed he tried to persuade Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes to come out of international retirement, but failed.
It was too little too late, though, with Paul Scholes sent off late on in a lacklustre showing from United.
But England had other heroes, with Manchester United duo Paul Scholes and David Beckham a potent creative driving force alongside Gerrard.
As Ferguson prepared to send Paul Scholes into the action, Rafael was sent off for his second yellow card after tripping Assou-Ekotto.
Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, for example, have gone from Manchester United stalwarts to squad players, accepting reduced minutes in advanced age.
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Van Nistelrooy almost set up Paul Scholes, who had been ineffective, but he was denied by a good saving tackle by Luisao.
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Patrice Evra, Gary Neville, Park Ji-Sung and Paul Scholes were warming down when they were asked to move by groundstaff, sparking a row.
Gillespie was part of the youth team at Man Utd that featured the likes of David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt.
Rooney almost gave United the lead on 10 minutes when he flashed a free-kick just over the bar after a foul on Paul Scholes.
Ferguson's decision to introduce Ronaldo for Fletcher paid dividends within two minutes of the restart when the Portugal international headed home Paul Scholes' corner.
Dindane headed wide as he spurned another chance, while Paul Scholes had a shot deflected narrowly wide as the game developed into a sparky affair.
As both sides traded blows, Ferguson made a change on the hour when he sent on Paul Scholes and Gabriel Obertan for Berbatov and Ji-Sung Park.
But they had no answer to a United team inspired by the evergreen Paul Scholes, who controlled the contest from midfield with a superb passing display.
In the mid-1990s, he molded some of the best players of their generations such as Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs but later showed that no one was irreplaceable.
New signing Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were among a 22-man squad that flew out from Manchester to Kuala Lumpur on Thursday.
Paul Scholes picked out Giggs to volley just over the top as Sir Alex Ferguson's men showed the odd glimpse of the stylish side that dominated the Premiership.
United needed a creative player in the same mould as the suspended Paul Scholes, whose ability to spray the ball around and get forward from midfield was badly missed.
Carbone then lashed an effort wide on the left before Paul Scholes mustered United's first shot on target with a drive straight at Peter Enckelman in the Villa goal.
Bolton were devastated and were unable to get back into the game as United brought on Paul Scholes for his 400th Premier League appearance while Rooney replaced Carlos Tevez.
United could create little to test Gordon for the remainder of the half and Alex Ferguson replaced an out of sorts Paul Scholes with Anderson for the second half.
Butt has lived in the shadows of team-mates Beckham and Paul Scholes for Manchester United and England - but this was the day he could hog the spotlight himself.
He spent almost as much time taking the ball on at Manchester's defenders as he did making acrobatic saves, notably pulling out two brilliant stops to block Paul Scholes and Denis Irwin.
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Yet the Ivorian played down his own chances of adding the English title to the African award, suggesting Ghanaian team-mate Michael Essien and former England international Paul Scholes should also be considered.
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City continue to lead the table on 63 points, with United still breathing down their necks in second after veteran pair Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs proved the difference against a determined Norwich side.
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