At Old Trafford in the summer, Ronaldo all but had his suitcases packed in the fall-out which ensued Wayne Rooney's dismissal against Portugal in Germany.

Around Stamford Bridge, the belief was that the Ivory Coast player's role as firstchoice striker would surely be usurped by the Ukranian Andriy Shevchenko. Drogba hadn't been an economy purchase himself, yet Mourinho trumped that at a touch under £30 million.

Not only have both players remained with their clubs, but they have flourished to a point where, if not for the fact that neither has entirely dispensed with a propensity for theatrics, both names could be early contenders for Footballer of the Year.

Drogba's tally in all competitions is 14, but it is his acceptance of responsibility as a target man as much as his potency around goal that has been revelatory this season. Whether it is the stimulus of Shevchenko's presence that has provoked him to display his prowess, or merely that he has developed and prospered under Mourinho remains open to debate, one which will continue at Old Trafford today.

Meanwhile, United followers will continue to forgive Ronaldo, now the Premiership player with the most shots off target . . . 32 in all, including that candidate for miss of the season at Sheffield United last Saturday . . . while he continues to embarrass defenders and provide a superior service from either flank. He seems to be on a mission to display to everyone that he is more than just a show pony. Both men are shaping the destiny of their sides this season, and their respective influences today are among the likely vignettes within a passion play at Old Trafford; an event which, unusually, has caused the pre-match hyperbole to focus on the participants rather than the managers, who have refused to engage in prematch hostilities.

True, there has been some gentle verbal sparring, mainly about the effectiveness of referee Howard Webb, but no intimidatory punches have been thrown.

Ferguson is untouchable, anyway, and if you speak to United's players, there is an underlying respect for Mourinho which emanates from their own manager's admiration for what he has achieved. The Scot sees much of himself as a young man in his adversary.

But for the players, this is a fascinating fixture. It's the first since the World Cup quarter-final that Rooney, England's organ-grinder, meets Ricardo Carvalho. It also thrusts together Ronaldo and England's John Terry and Frank Lampard, while another England man, Gary Neville, is rather more concerned about his own striker Louis Saha following that missed penalty against Celtic, which, according to some sources could cost United £100 million if they now fail to qualify from the next stage of the Champions League.

The United full-back apparently told Neil Lennon before the kick was taken that Saha would miss it because his head had gone. The former Fulham man has been relieved of penalty-taking duties. Ronaldo, who has been nominated instead should referee Howard Webb oblige the hosts this afternoon, has raised the temperature somewhat by suggesting that Chelsea are "about the same as last year", despite the arrivals of Shevchenko and Michael Ballack.

There is, of course, an element of truth in that assertion. However, Ferguson himself is too much the old sage to get drawn into that argument. "I think they have added three very good players to their squad this year: Ballack, Shevchenko and Ashley Cole, " he said. "That is three great additions; there is no question about that.

We have added Michael Carrick, but we have also got Paul Scholes back from his injury and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (unavailable today)."

The United manager added: "It's two strong squads. They have maybe got a bit more experience internationally but we are emerging. We have got great consistency in our game and you don't normally get that from young players so there is a good maturity developing in the club and there is a fantastic team spirit. That is helping us more than anything."

In the summer, as anticipated, Chelsea opted for renewal, with the import of Ballack, Shevchenko and Cole. United, apart from Carrick, who has still to justify his fee and the reputation that accompanied it, have undergone a regeneration programme: Solskjaer has been rebuilt after a long-term injury; Scholes has returned to his best form after that eye problem; the seemingly ageless Ryan Giggs has adjusted to new demands placed upon him; and Saha, notwithstanding that penalty miss, has emerged as considerably more than a squad player . . . though whether 4-5-1 suits him is arguable. Chelsea are reminiscent of the old days when a new car bore that sign "running in" while United, dependent on familiar, reliable parts have begun this Premiership campaign nicely tuned.

"We set out a criteria for the team this year and a good start was one of them, " said Ferguson. "But you are never sure and coming out of a World Cup you are just hoping they all come back fit and ready for the challenge. The decision to go to South Africa, for instance, was a big one because we went without all the World Cup players and some in fact . . . Wayne Rooney for example . . . played their first full game against Fulham in the opening match.

Rooney played half a game against Porto [in the Amsterdam Tournament] and got sent off. Then he had a three-match suspension so it required everyone to dig in and the players we were using at that time did fantastically well and will do so again when required."

United's resulting three-point lead is a luxury that, in recent seasons, has been unfamiliar to Ferguson. "It's a great opportunity for us, " is as far as he will consider such an advantage. "In the last two years Chelsea have had the fantastic position of being nine, 10 points ahead of us and very difficult to peg back. But we have got out of the blocks this time and for the first time we are in front with a prospect of maybe going six points clear which would have them chasing us rather than us chasing them."

But would it be all over by November if Mourinho's men fail today? The Scot knows better than that. In eight meetings between the managers, he has only once emerged triumphant. The sorcerer has too much regard for his apprentice to start making any assumptions.

FAPREMIERSHIP MANCHESTER UNITED v CHELSEA Old Trafford, 4.00 Live, Sky Sports 1, 3.00