CELTIC 0 UNITED 3

Even in comfortable victory the doubts persist. Manchester United, inspired by the busy industry of the recovered Paul Scholes, swept beyond a disjointed Celtic last night yet the few hundred visiting supporters amid a relatively meagre crowd for these parts still found time to holler for improvement.

United remain the only Premiership club yet to add to their squad before the new season and, with Ruud van Nistelrooy set to leave Old Trafford, the lack of incoming transfers is prompting consternation. Sir Alex Ferguson arrived here having dismissed that concern with a shrug and a smile. "Some people are trying to make it into a desperate situation," he had said. "We are working on a couple of things but if I were to start the season with all the players I've got available, all fit, I don't think the supporters would be disappointed."

Even with Scholes revelling with his first goals since Boxing Day, his recovery from an eye complaint clearly gathering pace, there was no hiding on Clydeside. No more than 300 United fans had travelled to this fixture but those who had were bellowing "Fergie, sign some players" before the quarter-hour mark had been reached. They were hardly appeased by their side's dominance against a Celtic team containing only five players likely to start their opening Scottish Premier league fixture against Kilmarnock on Saturday. By the 20-minute mark, those chants from the away fans had become chorused support for Van Nistelrooy.

That will have annoyed Ferguson. He will busy himself in the weeks to come in pursuit of Tottenham's Michael Carrick and in search of a striker to fill the Dutchman's shoes. Replacing a player who has contributed 150 goals in 219 appearances in the past five years represents a daunting challenge, particularly when the first choice, Fernando Torres, is intent on remaining at Atlético Madrid. A fit Scholes will help in that respect.

The former England midfielder featured three times on the side's recent tour of South Africa without finding the net, but he flourished here. Having purred in a deep-lying midfield role before half-time, he was thrust further forward thereafter and, just after the hour mark, ghosted unnoticed into the six-yard box to glance in Kieran Richardson's free-kick. His second was tapped in from close range with six minutes remaining.

Scholes indirectly prompted the visitors' opening goal as well, his 20-yard shot forcing the excellent Artur Boruc to tip over, with Richardson's resulting corner converted by Jonathan Evans. The 18-year-old was one of a number of youngsters drafted into this set-up, with some 10 United players involved in the latter stages of the World Cup finals still absent. Ferguson will have drawn encouragement from the youth on show, but for Celtic the reality is more troubling. Even with the bulk of their first team in the stands this was a convincing defeat.