With players seemingly picking up injuries every match, manager Sir Alex Ferguson is facing major problems ahead of the new campaign and may be forced to revise a feeling that he has no need to spend, despite the good news of Cristiano Ronaldo's confirmed commitment.

Just by raising the possibility of not buying anyone before the deadline closes on August 31, Ferguson has brought an element of worry to United fans as they look ahead to the new campaign.

Even Ferguson claims to be "a bit concerned" by the growing injury list, with Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick joining the group that is effectively ruled out of Sunday's Community Shield meeting with Portsmouth, and by extension, Newcastle as well given it affords no time for match practice ahead of the Premier League opener on August 17.

Chief among Ferguson's concerns must be a striker given he was pursuing Dimitar Berbatov before Ronaldo had his ankle operation and Rooney was struck down by a virus picked up on tour in Nigeria.

If United really are to embark on the new campaign with their current group of players, from whom Anderson is missing on Olympic duty with Brazil and will not be called back and Nani will be suspended when the competitive action begins, either old stagers such as Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes need to hit form quickly or some of the youngsters must rise to the challenge being a United player represents.

But Ferguson remains confident, even if some supporters are not.

"We might well start 2008-09 with largely the squad we had last season - and after all, they didn't do too badly," he said.

"We have not brought in the kind of top-quality player everyone seems to be expecting.

"We are still researching and looking but it is not easy and certainly we are not desperate because we have the right balance of youth and experience thanks to the work we did in the transfer market the previous year.

"In terms of numbers, we have been boosted by the return from loan of several young players who have the potential to go all the way. So I think we already have the men for the job."

Ferguson has been proved correct too often in the past to be seriously doubted now but even he must have winced at the treatment meted out to Carlos Tevez.

Nicola Legrottaglie was especially forceful, with former Liverpool man Momo Sissoko equally tough in the tackle on one occasion, although each time Tevez got gingerly to his feet.

Tevez and Darren Fletcher had United's best chances, without forcing Gianluigi Buffon into a decent save, and the same was also true of Alessandro del Piero at the other end after an admittedly brilliant piece of skill from the veteran Italy star.

As Juve tackle Artmedia in the Champions League next Wednesday, Claudio Ranieri's side should have been marginally fitter.

It did not seem that way though as substitute Rafael Da Silva chased down Tevez's cross, then whipped the ball in for Scholes to bounce a downward header over the bar.

Da Silva has looked the most likely youngster to force his way into Ferguson's plans even if the Brazilian full-back did not produce any of the precise finishing his countrymen are famed for as he ballooned a long-range effort over.

Rodrigo Possebon blasted over as well, although, like Da Silva, the midfielder created another favourable impression as United's unbeaten pre-season continued.