Chelsea succumbed to Manchester United today as two goals in the second half proved too much for the Blues to come back from.

A winner in the final minute from Dimitar Berbatov ensured the Shield heads north, despite a late Chelsea onslaught on Edwin van der Sar's goal.

The last time these two teams met in the competition it ended 2-2, when a last-minute Wayne Rooney goal ensured the fixture was decided on penalties, eventually won by the Blues.

Carlo Ancelotti stated one week ago that the team against Hamburg would be unchanged for the Community Shield. In fact, there was one difference, with Hilario replacing Ross Turnbull between the posts.

Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson fronted Wayne Rooney in attack alongside Michael Owen, who hasn't long returned from an injury sustained against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup Final, here at Wembley.

Unlike Chelsea, the Red Devils went into the game on the back of a 7-1 win over the League of Ireland XI in Dublin. A Ji-sung Park brace was added to by Owen, Javier Hernandez, Antonio Valencia, Jonny Evans and Nani in that fixture.

Keen to put the three consecutive pre-season defeats behind them, Chelsea started brightly but it was Hilario who'd be the first keeper to make a save, easily collecting a Valencia lob.

The next shot also belonged to the Reds, when Paul Scholes, who was lucky to escape a booking for any early foul on Florent Malouda, sent a Valencia cross flying high over the bar.

Chelsea immediately retaliated when Salomon Kalou tried to find Michael Essien at the far post, after a defensive error gifted the Ivorian possession, but the pass was too quick for our returning midfielder to nudge in.

The closest we came to scoring in the first 20 minutes was an Essien freekick, headed by Branislav Ivanovic, which was narrowly tipped over by Van der Sar.

Seconds later Rooney sent a Scholes chip over the back-line bouncing wide of the post, then Ji-sung Park drilled a shot into Ivanovic before Hilario gathered the loose ball.

It took until the 41st minute for the deadlock to be broken. A long ball from Scholes to Rooney on the right flank was crossed for Valencia to easily tap past Hilario against the run of play.

Nicolas Anelka and Essien would both create half-chances on Van der Sar's goal but as the break arrived Chelsea were forced to leave the field one goal down.

Ferguson made three substitutions before the second half began, swapping Berbatov for Owen, Hernandez for Rooney and Park for Nani. The Chelsea line-up remained unchanged, although Didier Drogba did begin warming up to rapturous applause from the Chelsea end.

The best of the opening exchanges in the second half went to Chelsea as Malouda sent a shot skimming past the post following a clever Lampard ball. But Manchester United also threatened, as Berbatov narrowly missed latching onto a Hernandez through ball.

As the hour mark arrived, John Mikel Obi made way for Drogba while Daniel Sturridge replaced Anelka. Drogba took up his role in central attack; Sturridge went onto the right wing and Malouda moved back into midfield.

The affects were immediate; as Chelsea troubled United's defence, and when Kalou struck from just outside the area, it took a good Van der Sar save to deny an equaliser.

Essien then shot inches wide, an Ashley Cole left-footed strike was saved by Van der Sar and, once Malouda had made way for Yossi Benayoun, Sturridge drilled past the post.

But it would be United who'd score next. Valencia broke down the right, launched an inch-perfect cross for Hernandez, who dipped his shoulder and smashed the ball off his own face and into the net. It may not have been the tidiest goal in the world but Manchester United were two-nil up.

But not for long as within 10 minutes Chelsea pulled one back. Kalou was on hand to tip a Sturridge shot, rebounded by Van der Sar, beyond the line in front of the Chelsea fans.

Sturridge continued to help Chelsea strike at the opposition's goal and Drogba came close to taking us level when another rebounded Sturridge shot fell to him at the far post, only for the Ivorian to hit the side netting.

Then Berbatov put the final nail in the coffin to Chelsea hopes of retaining the Community Shield when he cheekily lobbed Hilario from the edge of the box after latching onto a Nani chip.

The game finished 3-1 and the Blues were forced to hand the Community Shield to Manchester United, for now at least.

By Christian Collison

Chelsea (4-3-3): Hilario; Ferreira (Bruma 79), Ivanovic, Terry (c), Cole (Zhirkov 78); Essien, Mikel (Drogba 59), Lampard; Kalou, Anelka (Sturridge 60), Malouda (Benayoun 72).
Goals: Kalou (82)

Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea, Vidic (c), Evans, Fabio (Smalling 70); Valencia, Scholes (Giggs 79), Carrick (Fletcher 79), Park (Nani H-T); Rooney (Hernandez (H-T), Owen (Berbatov H-T).
Goals: Valencia (41), Hernandez (75), Berbatov (90+2).