SOCCER: Portsmouth 0 Manchester Utd 1: THEY MAY have had one game in the Premier League already, but it was here that it truly felt as if Manchester United were mounting the defence of their title.

The desire to sign the centre-forward Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur was readily understood, but there was still much to admire in their polished moves and in the steadfastness with which they protected a slim lead against Portsmouth.

United's attempt to repeat last season's efforts was never intended to include a restaging of the sluggish start, but they had opened in the Premier League by drawing with Newcastle United at Old Trafford. They did, all the same, have the reassurance of knowing that few teams will bring them to a standstill.

It might have taken a shoot-out to see off Portsmouth in the Community Shield, but Harry Redknapp's side had been harried for most of that occasion.

There was no more security for them at Fratton Park. Revered as this squad rightly is for winning the FA Cup, Portsmouth had not recorded a victory in the league since April 8th, at Upton Park. The need to rouse themselves was all the more intense in the wake of the 4-0 drubbing by Chelsea.

An opener in the 32nd minute typified the visitors' fluidity, despite its haphazard conclusion.

With Portsmouth's Papa Bouba Diop ill-suited to a post on right midfield, the full-back Glen Johnson was isolated as Carlos Tevez released Patrice Evra. Darren Fletcher, nominally on the opposite flank for United, challenged for the low cross. The ball spun off both Sol Campbell and then the Scot before the left-back Sylvain Distin, striving to clear from the line, could only help the ball into the roof of the net.

Four minutes from half-time, the lead might have been extended. Paul Scholes and Tevez set up Wayne Rooney, but after evading Younes Kaboul the forward shot wide. While United had technical dominance, Portsmouth were not subjugated. Jermain Defoe, in the 24th minute, had caused confusion with a cross that rebounded from Evra before going wide for a corner after hitting Peter Crouch and the goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

Alex Ferguson would have craved a more comfortable lead by the interval because it was not an evening for early alterations. A club of United's fame is supposed to set people talking, but the team sheet for this fixture had tongues wagging for another reason.

It was the manager's declaration of the injury problems he has at the moment. The list of substitutes began in familiar-enough fashion with Tomasz Kuszczak and Gary Neville, but the names that followed might have been designed as a general-knowledge quiz for the crowd.

The teenage twins Fabio and Rafael da Silva sat on the bench and so, too, did their fellow Brazilian Rodrigo Possebon. Fraizer Campbell and the Irishman Darron Gibson were also there.

Fabio had still to make his debut, while Rafael, Possebon and Gibson had each seen action with a just single outing for the club as a substitute.

Portsmouth had youth in their ranks although this was a challenging debut for the teenage full-back Armand Traore, on loan from Arsenal, before he was replaced in the 56th minute. He must have been as conscious as anyone of the urgency with which the visitors sought to crush any resistance. With 48 minutes gone, Tevez freed Rooney on the left and Distin was sharp in preventing Anderson from capitalising.

Portsmouth supporters would have been angered by the foul awarded to United, but they were relieved by a mistake from the officials in the 50th minute. Rooney was wrongly flagged offside as he sped through to shoot home.

At this gloriously raucous ground, there is always the basis for a comeback. Ferguson himself was cautious and, with 20 minutes to go, he had still not sent on a substitute. It was an evening when the element of experience only diluted was with reluctance.

• Guardian Service

PORTSMOUTH: James, Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Johnson, Diop, Davis (Utaka 66), Diarra, Armand Traore (Thomas 56), Crouch, Defoe. Subs not used: Ashdown, Lauren, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Sahar. Booked: Diop, Defoe.

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Fletcher, Anderson (Possebon 76), Scholes, Evra, Rooney, Tevez. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Neville, Fabio Da Silva, Rafael Da Silva, Gibson, Campbell. Booked: Brown, Fletcher.

Referee: Chris Foy(Merseyside).