United forget about Becks

Fans paid up to $160 (£100) a ticket, but for United what matters is not just the numbers on the scoreboard. As Paddy Harverson, United's head of media, happily informed yesterday's New York Times, "This tour is about sowing seeds. The real profits could come down the road."

In the new Chelsea era, United have to make profits count and Ferguson's grumpy countenance since arriving in the US suggests there is little footballing benefit to be had from travelling halfway round the world to play a meaningless friendly against a side with a reputation for being robust - a point driven home by slight injuries to Gary Neville, the victim of a crunching challenge from Bobo Balde, and Rio Ferdinand.

It doesn't need a degree from Harvard Business School to figure out the logic underpinning these travels, though. British football fans long ago cottoned on to the fact that pre-season football is to the proper football what Seahawks Stadium hot dogs are to real meat. The idea that anyone in Britain would pay £100 to watch such a game is laughable.

The same can't be said for the casual sports fans in cities like Seattle, who have both the disposable income and the inherent love of a spectacle to to indulge such ticket prices.

Even so there were still a few empty seats around Seahawks Stadium as the two sides kicked off - contrary to claims by United's marketing machine that the match had sold out within hours of tickets going on sale.

Likewise, the claim that the match was being broadcast coast-to-coast across the US was stretching truth to its outer limits. It was a national broadcast, sure, but only in homes with access to one of the more obscure cable TV channels, Fox Sports World. Ignore the hype - this was not the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Those that did tune in were treated to a one-sided affair and with United 3-0 up the second half became a question of face-saving for Celtic. Van Nistelrooy, the star of the show, was substituted after 60 minutes - possibly as an act of charity by Ferguson.

In addition to his goal, the Dutchman also set up United's second for Giggs, barging past Laursen to reach Solskjaer's long ball, then keeping his composure after Hedman had blocked his first effort to lay the rebound into his team-mate's path.

Giggs' finish came via Hedman's left-hand post and ensured Alan Thompson suffered maximum punishment for a penalty miss after Roy Keane had chopped down Stilian Petrov.

With van Nistelrooy and Giggs going off shortly afterwards, Bellion and Diego Forlan were given their chance to impress. Forlan almost found the net with a firm header Rab Douglas did well to keep out. Bellion went one better, capping his debut by netting United's fourth, darting onto Paul Scholes' return pass before delivering an angled drive past Douglas.

It would also be safe to assume that Juan Veron, the £28m signing once described by his manager as the final piece in the Old Trafford jigsaw, could be heading to another toy store sometime in the near future. Veron was left out of the starting XI and when he finally did appear at the start of the second half, he looked far short of a £28m player.

On this form United would gladly accept £14m if Chelsea change their mind again about him. The problem for the Old Trafford bean counters would then be how to make good the £14m loss on their initial investment. One can almost sense them planning a 14-game to United States in the summer of 2004.