Ji-Sun Park (second left) celebrates Manchester United’s second goal with Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole

• Michael Gadd

  Host commentator

As if there weren’t enough legends on show today, United icon Sir Bobby Charlton hands the trophy to the winning skipper Paul Scholes (Sir pending), before the players work their way around the crowd to thank them for such remarkable support throughout the match.

This has all, of course, been in aid of the Manchester United Foundation and helping disadvantaged children. And there is talk that a whopping £700,000 has been raised from the day. 

Well, I know of some gentlemen who are going to sleep well tonight – perhaps after a few refreshments. A thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes with United running out well-deserved winners.

To recap, Louis Saha’s duffed shot, Dwight Yorke’s tap in after an excellent and the side of Andy Cole’s right foot bettered goals from the excellent Alexander Zickler and Michael Tarnat from a free-kick in the first half.

Perhaps fitting that Jesper Blomqvist was the scorer of the goal that put the game to bed given he started in that 1999 final. A notable mention to Jaap Stam, the 42-year-old who played the entire game at a standard some top level managers would wish they could find in their back four. 

The Dutch connection from both sides gather at the end of the match

And there is it, but for the home side and you have to think that’s denied the fans penalties here today. 

A fantastic finish from the Swede after Poborsky got free on the right side and played a hard and pinpoint pass in behind the defenders. 

Jesper Blomqvist seals the win as he slides in at the back post

Walter Junghans is forced into a excellent save in the Bayern goal as Blomqvist meets a deft flick from Poborsk over the top but can’t direct it into the net.

Who would have bet a goalless second half? Comments like that should bring about an equaliser…

United playing with patience on the right hand side of the box, with Scholes, Neville and others doing their best Barcelona impression. The cross eventually comes over for Ritchie whose header is foot wide of the post.

Seconds later Poborsky fires wide attempting to bend his shot in at the far post.

You could throw a blanket over the 22 players right now, if the blanket was about 90m long. It’s opening up and there is space to be had with both sides happy to camp at the top of their penalty areas and force the other side to play through them. 

Bayern are enjoying more possession now as they try to pry open the United defence, who have been much tighter this half while Neville and Silvestre are still keen to bomb down the flanks. 

Robson (left) speaks to United legend Andy Ritchie before he’s brought on for Cole

A Mexican wave sweeps around the stands just as we start to look at this as a serious fixture. It’s hard not to as what’s happening on the pitch is very real and spirited, with Bayern bouncing to life with some promising moves.

Marcel Witeczek threatens once and then moments later forces an athletic save from the United keeper Raimond van der Gouw, who’s come on for Van der Sar. 

Sergio wins a free-kick after making a sneaky run through Dion Dublin and Jaap Stam, catching a boot and falling with a thud. Tarnat hits his free-kick sweetly but it’s blocked by a surging Scholes.  

Dublin helps Bayern Munich All Stars’ Paulo Sergio up after he’s fouled

Alexander Zickler goes close again as he finds space at the far post but can’t control his header.

For United, Blomqvist is heavily involved on the left with Silvestre keen to make overlapping runs outside him which could prove an issue for a weary Bayern side.

A stunning ball over the top the Paulo Sergio puts him with just Van der Sar to beat but he’s ruled offside to United’s relief. 

Poborsky has come off the bench at the break and bringing an injection of energy to Robson’s side, who much like the first half are controlling the pace of the match. 

Park’s speed and engine proves a problem for Bayern’s legends

There will be subs galore with all plays sure to get a run but the freshness of legs will play a significant role in this second half. 

A reminder that if they can’t be separated after 90 minutes it’s penalties straight away.

Scholes has flirted with the referee’s book but would no doubt be keen to be there for the end should there be a chance from the spot.

Sportsmail’s Mike Keegan reports from Old Trafford on what one Man United keeping legend believes will happen with their current superstar between the sticks:
Edwin van der Sar thinks David de Gea will leave Manchester United for Real Madrid – but believes he can be replaced.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper and Holland international reckons the Spaniard, who has been heavily linked with a £25million move to the La Liga giants, is on his way.
‘There’s been a lot of talk lately and if he wanted to stay he probably would have signed a new contract by now,’ Van der Sar said.

Man United can replace David de Gea should he, as expected, go to Real Madrid, says Edwin van der Sar

So Manchester United lead and will take a well-earned rest after an entertaining first period. The youth and speed in United’s line-up is showing but two soft goals, from Scholes dodgy pass and a blunder in the wall from Fortune, keep Bayern in it. 

After their 3-3 in Munich, this leaves the aggregate at 6-5, but the way this is going we can expect a few more as it opens up even more in the second half.

Captain Marvel Bryan Robson is the beaming boss today as his side take a half-time lead

Park proves a handful in the penalty area again and with three Bayern defenders surround him he slips the ball to Cole, whose first time shot goes through Butt’s arms and into the roof of the net.

Andy Cole (right) places his first-time shot beyond Butt to win the lead back for United

Bayern strike back straight away! Tarnat scores from a free-kick from just outside the box but Fortune must hang his head in shame. He jumps out of the way at the edge of the wall and it deflects beyond Van der Sar. 

Bayern’s Michael Tarnat (left) drives his free-kick low before it deflects off Fortune and into the net for 2-2

It was Park or Yorke, but a terrific goal either way. Fortune is released down the right and he weights a lofted ball perfectly for Park storming in at the far post. Butt appears to save it and Yorke pounces on the rebound from less than a foot and it’s bundled over. 

Ji-Sun Park (second left) celebrates Manchester United’s second goal with Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole

It’s end to end stuff. For Bayern, it was a weaving run from Sergio who is cut off before he gets a chance to strike. Scholes then gets space to wind up from the edge of the box at the other end – he hits it menacingly but it goes straight at Butt. Anywhere else and that was one for the highlights reel – defence didn’t exist though.  

Scholes blasts a shot from range but it goes straight to Butt

Andy gets his back into his defender at the top of the box and leans in on the turn – he goes down and is unimpressed when Swarbrick doesn’t point to the spot. No such thing as a friendly. 

Bayern sub Tarnat then has a go from range and it goes teasingly close to the Dutch keeper’s top corner.  

It’s continued to be all United, with Yorke and Cole regularly threatening but unable to breach Butt. 

The for Bayern, a fastastic run from Zickler down the right. It was mazy and tenacious but the only failing came with the off-balance shot that went across the face of goal. 

And after some technical issues, we’re back in action. Since we’ve been off line Scholes gifted the visiors a goal. His back pass is pounced on by Zickler who goes around Van der Sar with ease. 

Bayern legend Alexander Zickler (left) proves a handful for United’s legend Jaap Stam

Moments after a rusty Dwight blasts one over the bar, his shot from the right is saved by Butt but his parry can only find Saha who duffs his shot and it bobbles into the back of the net for the opener. It’s all United at this stage as Saha look apologetically at the Bayern keeper. 

Luis Saha (left) celebrates with Andy Cole after opening the scoring

Saha (left) duffs his shot but it bobbles over Butt in Bayern’s goal

Scholes drops his shoulder as if another pinpoint long ball was coming and weaves a short ball into Park, who scoops over the Bayern defence almost into the path of Yorke. He may have been offside, but that was pretty to watch nonetheless. 

United’s legend Park Ji-Sung controls the ball with athleticism

Paul Scholes may have lost a bit of sharpness but in the early stages as United largely take control, the midfielder is pinging long balls at will into the corner. 

An early half chance for Bayern up the other end though is quickly snuffed out by Van der Sar in the Reds goal as he comfortable takes the cross. 

A slight delay in the tunnel – a bit of gamesmanship from Scholes and the United side as they make their Bavarian visitors wait. But it’s more than convivial before they’re pair with their mascots and out onto the pitch and lined up. 

After a fun build-up there is a proper match atmosphere inside Old Trafford with a crowd in excess of 50,000 – quite impressive really. 

Five players from that final in 1999 in the starting line-up for United. Hard to believe that was a sweet 16 years ago. 

Just 10 minutes before kick off now so a reminder of how the teams will line up. Irwin will start instead of previously listed Silvestre. Robson says Irwin has a twinge and will hook him for the Frenchman if he struggles. 

Man Utd XI: Van der Sar; P. Neville, Johnsen, Stam, Irwin; Park, Scholes, Fortune; Yorke, Saha, Cole

Subs: Van der Gouw, Silvestre; Blackmore, Martin, Beardsmore, Poborsky, Thornley, Blomqvist, Ritchie, Dublin

Bayern Munich XI: Butt; Jorginho, van Buyten, R.Kovac, Pflügler; van Bommel, Breitner, N.Kovac; Paulo Sergio, Makaay, Zickler

Subs: Junghans, Kreuzer, Tarnat, Schupp, Zimmermann, Gaudino, Sternkopf, Witeczek, M. Rummenigge

The new Homes Under The Hammer host has a simple tactic for when he gets his chance – look for the ginger head in the middle of the park.

Dublin missed out on Robson’s starting line-up despite ‘doing star jumps in front of the manager’ but says it’s ‘nice to be part of it and everyone will get their chance.’

Dion Dublin (centre) is just happy to be there and will be looking for Scholes (right)

The United legends boss Robson says: ‘Since we’ve been playing these games this is probably the strongest squad we’ve put up… so we’re probably going to get belted.’

His side is imposing, with ‘Loads of energy in the midfield.’ He’ll have Park and Fortune are veritable whippets for a legends match with his skipper Scholes pulling the strings.

He adds Cole will be in the middle of a front three with Saha and Yorke either side. Stam at the back looks like he should still be playing. Yikes.

The lovely Rachel Riley, Countdown’s maths whiz and definitely a United fan who is on the microphone at pitch level, interviews the Union J lads and we find one of their mum’s is a ‘massive Man U fan’. That’s that settled then.

Countdown maths genius Rachel Riley presents pitchside

Union J also sport Man U shirts as they headline the mini music festival before the match

Not sure Wayne Rooney’s ever enjoyed the sort of cheers Union J, a boy band for the uninitiated, is getting right now. They’re all wearing United shirts but something tells me their painstakingly compiled hair might have something to do with it as well. 

The stands are slowly filling up but those being fashionably late are missing out. Ben Haenow, who Google tells me won the 11th series of The X Factor – yes, 11 series! – has already belted out some tunes. Come Together by The Beatles was well received, and there was even applause for his debut single. He followed the pop stylings of Ella Eyre. Nothing by halves at Old Trafford. 

X Factor winner Ben Haenow performs his first stadium gig

Ella Eyre kept the young crowd entertained during the pre-match

Bayern Munich’s away strip for the rematch of the rematch of the rematch

It’s an official match – there’s a pennant! Here’s what will be given to the United skipper during the formalities

The fanzone outside the stadium is getting a good working over

Quality goal celebrations while going for a spin pre-match from these fans

Let’s take a moment to relive that May day in 1999 when United beat Bayern 2-1 in Barcelona to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy. Just for those who’d forgotten (which of course you haven’t)

Man United boss Alex Ferguson and his team lift the UEFA Champions League trophy in 1999

Welcome to Sportsmail’s live coverage of Manchester United vs Bayern Munich legends at Old Trafford. 

It’s all for charity but there’s no such thing as a friendly, especially with the history these two sides share. 

They met last year and the match was such a hit in Munich – ending in an entertaining 3-3 draw – it was a no brainer for them to return. 

Manchester has turned on the charm for the return fixture, with a fun park outside the stadium and a genuine festival atmosphere. 

As if Old trafford isn’t fun enough already – they’ve only gone and put a fun park outside the stadium!

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Captain Fantastic Bryan Robson leads a side of bona fide legends against Bayern Munich’s finest ever players for charity at Old Trafford, kicking off at 2.30pm on Sunday. 

Edwin van der Sar, Jaap Stam, Paul Scholes and Dwight Yorke all dust off their boots for United against a Bayern side led by former West Germany international Paul Breitner.

The Baverians all-star line-up features Mark van Bommel and Giovane Elber. 

It’s all for a good cause of course, Red Heart Day, from which the proceeds will go to the Manchester United Foundation.

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