Nemanja Vidic has issued what can be construed as a veiled threat for Wayne Rooney to lift his game as they prepare to start with former Gunner Robin van Persie against Fulham on Saturday.
The United skipper went on the offensive after Rooney and Danny Welbeck fired blanks in Monday's 1-0 defeat at Everton.
United's £24 million new-boy Robin van Persie was introduced as a 68th-minute substitute but failed to have a shot.
Vidic said: “We had some possession but we weren’t clinical.
“When you go away from home you expect the home side to have some chances but we need to be more clinical.”
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted they did not make enough use of Van Persie, slamming his players for not providing enough service.
The Goodison defeat was United’s first in a season opener in eight years.
Van Persie will make his first start at Old Trafford, replacing Welbeck in the starting line-up.
And Fergie will be working hard on Rooney’s link-up play with the Dutchman this week, according to The Sun.
Rooney was particularly subdued at his old club, looking far from his sharpest after a poor Euro 2012.
It was not the best of starts for a player celebrating his 10th anniversary since making his Premier League debut and who had his best goalscoring campaign last season hitting 34 - including 14 in his last 14 games of the season.
Perhaps he is looking for someone to share the scoring burden.
It remains to be seen whether the arrival of the former Arsenal star will spur Rooney to achieve greater heights or merely complement the Dutchman who bagged the top awards last season.
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