Chelsea stroll in China - and have the energy to cause United problems

If this is supposed to be a side too old to win the title then Sir Alex Ferguson had better think again.

No Michael Ballack, no Joe Cole and no Didier Drogba yet it rained goals here in steamy southern China and there were already glimpses of the flair for which Luiz Felipe Scolari has become renowned.

Three of the scorers in this bloodless 4-0 victory over Guangzhou - the Brazilian's first in charge of the Blues - were under 30 while only a fool would not want the other goal-getter, Frank Lampard, who has averaged 20 goals a season for the last four years.

It was Salomon Kalou, 22, Shaun Wright-Phillips, 26, and 19-year-old Franco Di Santo who last night made a mockery of Ferguson's claim that Scolari's team have too many miles on the clock to succeed where Avram Grant failed.

Yet for Scolari this training exercise was only the beginning. The last team he brought to this part of the world to prepare for battle was Brazil ahead of the 2002 World Cup - which they won.

The Brazilian intends to have that kind of impact at Stamford Bridge over the next nine months by gaining revenge for the Blues' defeats to United in both the title race and the Champions League.

Asked if he was feeling the pressure of proving he can emulate Jose Mourinho's dual title wins, Scolari - who also took Portugal to the Euro 2004 Final - replied: "No, I have the pressure but all of the coaches have the same pressure.

"It's normal. It's no different from the other times I was coaching other club sides or the national team. No different."

In fact, far from labouring under the weight of expectation, the former Portugal coach ominously warned United Chelsea are nowhere near as good as he wants them to be just yet.

Scolari added: "I wasn't nervous at all. I was relaxed. It's always good to win the first game, even if the team wasn't at its best yet. We had some difficulties physically, but that will improve. We will become stronger in time."

While Grant was seen as a passive observer at training, Scolari's hands-on approach at Tuesday night's pre-match session reminded many players of the days when Mourinho was lifting silverware at Stamford Bridge.

And, now that he looks set to keep Lampard out of Mourinho's clutches at Inter Milan for the time being, Scolari is looking to form a system which maximises the midfielder's talents with those of Deco and Ballack.

The German, who disappointed in his first Chelsea campaign, was pivotal in the powerful challenge the Blues eventually threw down to United as the title race reached its conclusion last term. Ballack then went on to prove his class in the European Championship where he orchestrated Germany's run to the Final against Spain.

He may be 32 but he still retains his quality and hunger for success while alongside him 30-year-old Deco is desperate to disprove the claim of Barcelona president Joan Laporta that he is past it.

Versatile powerhouse Michael Essien is 25, John Obi Mikel is 21 and young Di Santo has impressed hugely in the reserves since moving to Stamford Bridge earlier this year.

Elsewhere the spine of the Chelsea team continues to guarantee longevity. Keeper Petr Cech, 26, is 11 years younger than United first choice Edwin van der Sar while skipper John Terry, 27, is two years younger than United captain Rio Ferdinand.

Little wonder then that Fergie has tried to upset the stability of United's biggest rivals ahead of the new campaign. Ironically, however, Scolari believes it will be Deco - twice named the Champions League's best player and twice a winner of the competition with Porto and Barcelona - who will provide the X-factor for the Blues next season.

He said: "All the players need to make a difference this season because it will be difficult for us.

"Deco is a fantastic player and, in this team, he helped his team-mates to play more than they did at times last season.

"He is a different kind of player, but his style with all the other players together he is 'fantastico'.

Should Scolari manage to bring silverware to Stamford Bridge the same term will be used about him.