LIVE COMMUNITY SHIELD: Manchester United v Portsmouth

17.05: Johnson misses and United win Charity Shield. United supporters will hope it's a lucky omen for last season, where they beat Chelsea on penalties and nine months later were crowned kings of Europe. Portsmouth should be decent again this season.

17.03: Mvuemba penalty saved by the legs of Van Der Sar, Carrick scores but he's fortunate with the ball slipping past James.

17.02: Defoe scores, and so does Giggs. United 2-1 up in shoot-out.

17.01: Diarra smashes miles over the bar but Tevez makes no mistake.

16.56: Messrs Ferguson and Redknapp gather in the centre circle for the coin toss. Sir Alex is in jovial mood indeed, cracking gags with his old mate Harry.

16.52: I was wrong. An effort from Tevez is neither cross not shot, and Portsmouth escape. Our old friend penalties again. In truth it will be fairly laughable if Pompey win this.

16.51: Defoe has what will almost certainly be the last chance of the match, but he fires over from just inside the area.

16.47: Looks like we're heading for penalties. Only 11 weeks since they last won a shoot-out. It was a little more important in Moscow though.

Carlos Tevez clashes with Hermann Hreidarsson during the Community Shield at Wembley

16.39: Frazier Campbell comes off the bench and nearly makes an instant impact for United, making room on the edge of the area but he smashes the ball over the bar.

16.31: Very rare attack from Pompey - Papa Bouba Diop's dangerous cross puts Nemanja Vidic under pressure, and when he hesitates Crouch gets his foot to the ball but fires over.

16.29: Portsmouth have been doing their best in recent times to be United's official bogey team - watch out Middlesborough. Tevez swivels on the edge of the area, and his shot is superbly tipped wide by James.

16.25: Fletcher, who has been central to most of United's attacking play today, runs towards the edge of the area and finds Giggs in space. The Welshman screws his effort wide. Meanwhile Gary Neville and John O'Shea come off for Wes Brown and Michael Carrick.

Portsmouth's Peter Crouch and Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand battle for the ball at Wembley

16.17: Tevez, who will have an important part to play in United's early season, barges into penalty area and fires across goal, forcing James to collect well before Flethcer to pounce.

16.15: Peter Crouch is pretty quiet for Portsmouth, but to be fair he hasn't received the best of service.

16.12: In some ways this is reminding me of the FA Cup tie in March - only the good Lord could explain how United didn't win that match.

16.08: James punches from a corner straight to Fletcher, who chips superbly towards goal, forcing James to tip onto the crossbar.

16.02: Second half under way at Wembley.

15.46: Half-time at Wembley - United have been the better side at Wembley in a half-decent Shield, but we're hoping for more drama after the break.

15.42: Fletcher slips the ball on the left to Nani, who looks bright for United, and the Portuguese youngster drives the ball across goal.

Paul Scholes and Lassana Diarra battle for the ball

15.34: United should have gone in front, but Fletcher fails to connect properly from just in front of goal after fine skill and cross from Nani.

15.26: Fine pass from John O'Shea sets up Ryan Giggs, who advances into the penalty and forces David James to a decent save at his near post.

1522: Lassana Diarra smashes high and wide from just outside the penalty area.

15.15: Best move of the match, with United making their move down the right-hand side, and Darren Fletcher crossing for Carlos Tevez to head wide at the near post.

United youngster Nani is chased by Lassana Diarra, Papa Bouba Diop and Glen Johnson

15.10: Scrappy start to the match, with this looking every inch the pre-season encounter so far.

15.00: Decent atmosphere at Wembley, which looks almost full, and the match gets under way.

Gary Neville leads United out for his first domestic game since breaking an ankle against Bolton in March 2007.

Michael Carrick is on the bench for the injury-hit champions, while £11million Peter Crouch will play up front with Jermain Defoe for FA Cup winners Pompey.

Even the biggest lovers of the beautiful game would surely concede that this will play second (if not third or fourth) fiddle to the other sporting delights on offer. The Greatest Show on Earth in Beijing for one.

The traditional curtain raiser to the English football season - at least it used to be, before the game became a virtual 12 month affair.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been at Wembley many times with his club