Scholes settled a tense encounter at Molineux 17 minutes from time, when he kept a cool head to beat Marcus Hahnemann after Jody Craddock’s clearance had fallen nicely for the veteran midfielder.

Sir Alex Ferguson will hope the goal helps persuade Scholes to sign a one-year contract extension he is presently stalling over.

However, Ferguson will also be fretting on the fitness of Wayne Rooney after watching Sam Vokes waste a glorious chance to equalise in stoppage time.

Alan Shearer is the loudest voice to claim Rooney has been carrying United this season, but he certainly is not the only one to think that way.

This was a chance for his team-mates to prove otherwise, as Rooney did not even make the bench, his manager rating his talisman “a big doubt” to face AC Milan on Wednesday.

Instead, their efforts merely confirmed Shearer’s view.

Isolated up front, Dimitar Berbatov failed to get involved as Rooney would have done. After a three-match ban, Nani appeared to have regressed to his maddening form of old and Antonio Valencia was little better on the other side.

Darron Gibson was the only United player to threaten the Wolves goal and the Irishman’s efforts were more typical of a tourist at a seaside shooting gallery, peppering his shots everywhere without getting close to winning a prize.

Gibson’s best effort was the shot he prodded wide after a poor Nani free-kick had bounced into his path off Berbatov.

It was Wolves, though, who carried the greater threat.

Having angered the Premier League with his team selection at Old Trafford in the reverse fixture last December, there was never a chance of Mick McCarthy leaving players out this time.

And why would he?

United might have been aiming for top spot but they have hardly been convincing this term and on their previous visits to newly-promoted clubs were beaten at Burnley and only drew at Birmingham.

Former Red Devil David Jones was set up by Matt Jarvis following a forceful run from the excellent Kevin Doyle and might have tested Edwin van der Sar had it not been for Michael Carrick’s saving tackle.

Stephen Ward had the golden opportunity though.

Jarvis was again the provider, after darting down the right on the overlap. His deep cross found Ward completely unmarked and he only had to beat Van der Sar to score but he nodded tamely straight at the veteran Dutchman.

The introduction of Gary Neville at the break might not have been an obvious attacking move but the experienced full-back helped his side get a measure of control for the first time.

Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick both had chances and Jody Craddock also needed to act fast to rob Berbatov after Wolves had got their offside trap all wrong as they attempted to defend a Carrick cross.

Ferguson was then deeply unhappy at Nani being flattened by Jody Craddock as he raced forward trying to support Valencia, who had galloped down the wing.

It was not entirely a one-sided contest. Jarvis flashed a shot wide after cutting in from the left flank and Nemanja Vidic was booked for chopping down Karl Henry.

But United were the ones on top, their efforts just emphasising the guile they were missing in Rooney.

In Scholes though, they have a player who will be remembered years from now, for both invention and goals.

Finding the net has proved a problem in recent seasons for the midfielder.

This year though, there have been signs of that old instinct returning.

And when Craddock drilled Nani’s low cross straight to the former England man he had the common sense not to rush, instead nipping past the defender’s desperate lunge before drilling his shot into the far corner.

It brought up his century of Premier League goals and his 148th overall for United.

Far more importantly, it left them staring down at their rivals from that familiar position on the Premier League summit.

Mame Biram Diouf could not add to the lead when he failed to find the target with a free header.

But United have flexed their muscles, even if Rooney will be needed to land the winning punches.

The Ecuador winger, who moved to Old Trafford after the sale of Ronaldo to Real Madrid in the summer, has been in sparkling form recently.

His performance in the Carling Cup final landed him the man of the match award as he set up the winning goal for Wayne Rooney.

But while some say his displays have been reminiscent of Ronaldo’s time at United, Valencia insists that the comparisons are not warranted.

“Cristiano is a superstar and I’m Valencia, a footballer learning each day,” he told The Sun.

“I don’t desire comparisons with him as we are different players. And while I’m happy with my work in the team, I know every day I must fight for my place.

“It’s not easy to get into this starting XI here – but this is my challenge.”

The former Wigan wideman said his Carling Cup final man of the match award was not warranted, instead diverting the praise towards his team-mates.

However, the 24-year-old does think that he is currently in the best form of his career, something he believes is down to the confidence of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

“I’m enjoying my best moments as a pro. I always dreamed of being at a big club and to win titles. Now I can fulfil those dreams at United,” Valencia said.

“Sincerely, I didn’t deserve to be man of the match in the Carling Cup final as the success was down to all the team.

“But that day will always be in my head. I’m very happy.

He added: “I’m here because of Mr Ferguson. The coach insisted he wanted me and that came as a surprise to me.

“From the first moment I joined, he was clear with me. He explained why United needed me.

“The key to my good form is I receive the coach’s confidence.

“From afar the image of Mr Ferguson appears different to the one that actually exists.

“Some people believe that he does not connect with the players but, really, he is very open and gives you a chance.”

Angry Wolves fans launched a blistering attack on manager Mick McCarthy for a team selection that virtually handed Ferguson victory on a plate during the encounter at Old Trafford on Tuesday night.

Chants of “we want our money back”, “where is our first team” and “£40 to watch the reserves” bellowed out of the visiting section after McCarthy made 10 changes to the side that defeated Tottenham on Saturday.

Although Wolves’ second string battled hard, the result was a formality and, if United had got themselves out of third gear, they would probably have won by a more comfortable margin than goals from Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Antonio Valencia gave them.

McCarthy, presumably, was not offering his team selection as a gift to mark the latest milestone in Ferguson’s long and illustrious career.

The Yorkshireman had his reasons for making 10 changes, notably the weekend encounter with Burnley, one of the sides who rose from the Championship with Wolves last term.

But Wolves now have five days to prepare for that one.

For half an hour the hardy band of travelling fans had plenty to cheer as their representatives gave everything in the Wolverhampton cause.

If Rooney had taken the third-minute opening that presented itself when Darron Gibson’s shot crashed into him, the landslide the team sheets suggested might have materialised.

Instead, Marcus Hahnemann, the one player to keep his place from White Hart Lane, made a close-range save, as he did to deny the England striker when he got on the end of Patrice Evra’s low cross midway through the half.

It seemed barely credible the visitors should give United any more assistance.

But that is exactly what Ronald Zubar did as he rose to head away Gibson’s corner under minimal pressure and instead punched it out of the area.

Having been so lethargic before, Rooney upped the pace by drilling home his 13th goal of the season.

Once in front, there was never any real suggestion United would not join Chelsea at the Premier League summit, having failed in that objective against Aston Villa at the weekend.

On his first league start, Gabriel Obertan was guilty of taking too much time to get his crosses in, a failing that Cristiano Ronaldo received a few admonishments for earlier in his career.

If the young French winger needed any proof the direct route was best, he got it when Vidic rose highest at a Gibson corner and got enough power into his header to carry it over the line, even though Hahnemann attempted a goal-line block.

The effort secured victory and the hosts knew it, which probably explained the sense of lethargy that gripped them at the start of the second period.

Vidic’s departure was the most notable aspect of that period. The defender did raise his hands to say he was willing to continue after originally indicating a desire to come off and Ferguson will be hopeful of having him fit for Saturday’s testing trip to Fulham.

It did not matter on this occasion, though, and the scene was set for a brilliant piece of skill from Dimitar Berbatov.

Such a maddeningly laid-back figure, the Bulgarian first collected Paul Scholes’ lofted pass before delivering a brilliant overhead kick into the path of Valencia, who drove a first-time shot into the roof of the net.

The 15 minutes Ferguson afforded Michael Owen as replacement for Rooney was presumably not what England boss Fabio Capello had in mind when he said he wanted the striker to play more often.

But, then again, this was not what Manchester United away was meant to mean for Wolves when the fixture list came out, either.

McCarthy will only know whether his grand plan has worked on a professional level on Sunday afternoon.

Many disgruntled Wolves fans making that late-night trip back down the M6 might not be quite so easily convinced.

Apparently, Manchester United have been linked to make a move on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the AC Milan striker who is currently warming Milan bench for Christmas. He would be a right idea signing as far as I concerned.

Manchester United and Arsenal have been told to forget about signing Standard Liege’s £15m-rated midfielder Steven Defour, 21, in January.

The Bulgaria international joined United from Tottenham for £30.75million in September 2008 and has yet to truly establish himself as an Old Trafford favourite.

Quoted in the Daily Express, Berbatov said: “Every person is different in coping with the pressure of the price tag. Every person thinks differently. For me, sometimes it is difficult because people expect so much of me.

“The fans have probably seen glimpses of my best goals, passes and games. I know you need to show that all the time and that’s my main goal – in every game to show my best game.

“But that’s the way it should be because the people here have paid so much money for you. I try to give my best for the team to win things. I think I did that in my first season. We won the championship and I think everybody was happy about that.”

So far this season Berbatov is United’s second-highest league scorer with four goals from 13 appearances. Michael Owen is second in overall goal-chart standing.

The England star has physically recovered from two knee ops that sidelined him for 14 months.

But he still lacks the confidence to make a return and spends most of his time training alone with United’s physiotherapist.

United manager Alex Ferguson said: “Owen is doing most things but it is the confidence part to mark the big step forward in the competitive part of the training that needs to come.”

Fergie originally suggested Hargreaves would be back in action by November.

But there is now no timescale on when he will even be playing matches in training, let alone the Premier League.

Assistant manager Mike Phelan added: “He is out there running around and we are working hard with him on a theme to help him come back.”

But the clock is ticking for Hargreaves, who only has five months to show Fabio Capello that he can still be part of his World Cup squad.

Hargreaves has 42 caps and was England’s star performer in the last World Cup.

United won a six-month battle to sign him from Bayern Munich for £17million in August 2007.

But he has started only 25 games since then.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2771891/Hargo-agony-over-Utd-return.html#ixzz0ZialmCJR

The 36-year-old Manchester United winger is the most decorated player in English football history and in May won a record 11th Premier League winners’ medal.

Button, 29, like Lewis Hamilton a year ago, may have won the world drivers’ championship but had to settle for second place on the rostrum behind Giggs.

Jessica Ennis, the 23-year-old from Sheffield who won gold in the heptathlon at the World Athletics championships in the summer, finished third.

The awards were held in front of an audience of 11,000 people at the Sheffield Arena.

Giggs said his longevity in the game had helped his popularity among the public.

“Perhaps I’ve become more appreciated as I have got older,” said the Welshman.

“It’s unusual for a 36-year-old to be playing with a team like Manchester United for 20 years but I am enjoying it and long may it continue.”

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson revealed on Friday that Giggs will be offered a new contract for next season and he added: “It was the first I had heard of it the other day so I was quite pleased.

“My contract ends at the end of the year but hopefully there will be another year after that.”

England’s Ashes heroes were named Team of the Year for their achievement in beating Australia.

Captain Andrew Strauss said: “It’s a truly great honour for us and the lads are chuffed to bits.

“It has been a long and arduous 12 months with lots of ups and downs and we have stuck together through some pretty tough times. That, ultimately, is what got us over the line in the Ashes.”

Fabio Capello was named coach of the year after the Italian guided England to qualification for the World Cup in a near-faultless campaign.

Capello said: “I am proud to win this award but I want to share this with all my staff and the players who will be with me next year in South Africa.”

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt was named overseas sports personality for the second consecutive year.

Bolt lowered his own world records in the 100 and 200 metres to 9.58 and 19.19 seconds respectively in Berlin.

Seve Ballesteros won the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to golf and the Helen Rollason Award for outstanding achievement in the face of adversity went to Major Phil Packer, who suffered spinal injuries while serving in Iraq and took 13 days to walk the London Marathon on crutches.

The unsung hero award went to Doreen Adcock, a 72-year-old from Milton Keynes who has been teaching swimming for the last 35 years.

Sir Alex Ferguson described Federico Macheda’s sensational injury-time effort in the corresponding fixture last term as the defining moment of United’s season.

It is too early for Agbonlahor’s header to be described in the same way, but on a day when United were in action after Chelsea had stumbled unexpectedly on home soil, it was a poor result for the hosts.

Although Villa headed north without a win for so long, they did have the confidence of victories against both Chelsea and Liverpool this season to fall back on.

Martin O’Neill’s teams tend to be regarded as solid and durable rather than exciting.

But Stewart Downing’s recovery from long-term injury has released James Milner into central midfield and, as Fabio Capello and Sir Alex Ferguson have noted, he can be useful going forward.

And while Villa themselves might not have enjoyed the best of times against United of late, Agbonlahor has not done too badly.

The England striker had scored in the past three seasons against the Red Devils, so he was completing a rather impressive four-timer when he nodded home Ashley Young’s right-wing cross.

Agbonlahor had already shown impressive strength to hold off Wes Brown, then spotted his opportunity after rolling a pass to Young, darting into the space where he expected the cross to come.

Brown might be criticised for not sticking to his man. But Tomasz Kuszczak was equally culpable, edging four yards off his line and then stopping as he realised he had no chance of cutting it out.

The cross duly came and, with Kuszczak in no man’s land, Agbonlahor steered his header into the net.

It could quite easily have been two by half-time as Kuszczak’s indecisiveness spread through a defence supposedly bolstered by the return of Brown and Nemanja Vidic.

Agbonlahor harried Darren Fletcher off the ball after the Scot had received a pass he was not expecting from Kuszczak.

Instead of going for goal himself he unselfishly tried to present Emile Heskey with a tap-in. This time Kuszczak redeemed himself.

United were not exactly a muted force, it was just that their efforts tended to be half chances rather than clear opportunities.

Antonio Valencia was a threat but was caught on his heels when Wayne Rooney flicked an inspired pass to the near post.

Rooney was also booked for a blatant dive when he went down anticipating a challenge from Luke Young which never actually arrived.

And it was Rooney who saw his shot crash off the bar after a brilliant piece of close control when he received Patrice Evra’s low cross.

United’s efforts were underwhelming enough for Ferguson to introduce Michael Owen at the break.

Like Giggs, it was a rare off-day for Rooney, who failed to take a couple of those half-chances that kept coming United’s way.

If that was not bad enough, after flattening Downing, Rooney raced at the Villa goal then woefully overhit a through-ball intended for Dimitar Berbatov.

Not that the Bulgarian had anyone to blame but himself when Michael Carrick charged forward on the overlap and invited the finish with a precise cut-back.

It looked certain to be the equaliser, but Berbatov failed to make a proper connection.

Downing was perfectly placed to boot a Vidic header off the line with 10 minutes remaining as the game entered the phase where last year Villa’s victory hopes were so cruelly snatched away from them.

Carrick drove another late effort wide, but at the end the only noises United made were Ferguson’s complaints about the amount of time being added on.

It’s almost two months since his last appearance in the Carling Cup victory over Wolves, all of sudden Gibson has suddenly played five times in 18days as United’s injury list continues to grow.

With fellow midfield team-mate have been drafted into emergency service at the back in Carrick and Fletcher, Gibson has been given the chance to run at the engine room with Scholes and Anderson. The latter hasn’t really nailed down the slot as his own though he does flourish in a 3 men centre-midfield pairing against others big guns, while Scholes is nearing the end of the road for him.

That has given Gibson his big break and he has vowed to take it.

“Manchester United is the best club in the world,” said the 22-year-old.

“When you leave here there is only one way to go and that is down.

“As everyone knows, it is very difficult to make it at United but if you do it, you reap the rewards.

“The gaffer is famous for giving chances to young lads. If you take your chance he sticks with you, so hopefully I will keep getting a few more games.”

While Ferguson is undoubtedly looking towards January, when Jonny Evans and John O’Shea are tipped to return, Craig Cathcart will return from a loan spell at Watford and Sol Campbell would be available on a free transfer should he wish to pursue an interest in the 35-year-old, for now he has to work with his present group of players.

Good news is Nemanja Vidic, who has recovered from a flu virus. He can be an option for the Saturday.

As someone who has also broken into the Republic of Ireland fold and is rated very highly by Giovanni Trapattoni, Gibson is clearly a player of immense promise.

His eye for a goal has not gone unnoticed either, with the three goals he scored in victories over Tottenham and West Ham all coming from outside the box.

Although in themselves the goals will not ensure Gibson has a career at Old Trafford, Ferguson knows that Paul Scholes-like ability to find the target from distance can be priceless in tight situations.

And, although he is not old by any means, Gibson knows the time is approaching when his career will arrive at a crossroads.

“Last season was my first real one at getting games so hopefully this year I will get a lot more,” he said.

“I am pushing a lot harder so we will see what happens, although I have not really got a timescale worked out.”

However, Campbell has revealed that there has not yet been any approach from the Red Devils but he would be happy to train with the Premer League champions after spending several weeks with former club Arsenal.

Campbell told ESPN Soccernet: “I have heard nothing officially from Manchester United, but there have been suggestions and of course, it would be a great move for me, if it happens. I shall just have to wait and see if a call comes through the right channels.

“Of course I would love to play for Manchester United, but I am not counting any chickens, just waiting to see what happens. I am training as usual at Arsenal, and would go to train at Manchester United if I was asked.”

Campbell also told ESPN Soccernet that he feels fully fit after intense training every day with the Gunners, and he is itching to resume his career.

With a host of defenders, including Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea, Jonny Evans and Wes Brown, all sidelined, Sir Alex could be interested in bringing in the former England defender on a short-term contract.

Although the player has reached an agreement to leave Notts County, it is highly unlikely that he would be able to play for another club before the transfer window opens on January 1 as he was contracted to the Magpies when the last window closed.

A host of Premier League clubs are likely to be chasing his signature once he is eligible to sign for a new club, though it is certain the 35-year-old will need time to get back to full match fitness.