Berbatov and Rooney serve up a taste of things to come

The victory was satisfying enough, against a side whose footballing qualities resembled Scunthorpe's at times, but Manchester United left northern Denmark with some deep worries last night after their Champions League campaign finally got under way.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who cut a sombre figure as he dissected the game, was digesting the news that Paul Scholes has suffered ligament damage to his right knee after attempting to bring a ball under control in his own half after a quarter of an hour of this match and that the 33-year-old will be missing for six to eight weeks. It is a bitter blow, coming after Scholes' four-month lay-off before February and the six months he was out of the game with eye trouble in 2006. With Michael Carrick still a few weeks off fitness, Anderson struggling to get up to speed and Owen Hargreaves plagued by tendinitis, United's midfield is looking threadbare

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Wayne Rooney may also miss Saturday's visit to Blackburn after leaving the pitch on the hour after feeling his ankle weaken. Today's assessment will reveal whether he has ligament damage, too.

There were some grounds for comfort. The knowledge, for one, that Dimitar Berbatov's two goals have now set him on his way and an appreciation also that in Brazilian Rafael da Silva they have unearthed another gem.

Berbatov's sheepish response to his first volleyed goal was perhaps as much a reflection of the dire defensive mishap which handed it to him as an acknowledgement that he should have opened his account a full hour earlier instead of firing wide a gift-wrapped chance from five yards. Truth told, the man in black gloves was woollier than he might have been at times last night. But the 27-year-old's second strike, an athletic scissor kick from Cristiano Ronaldo's chipped cross was the moment that Ferguson has been waiting for since paying £30m for him.

"You always want a player to score early after being transferred for such a lot of money and he missed a good chance in the first half which frustrated but the second goal was a real striker's finish," Ferguson said.

The United manager may also take heart from Rooney's response to being relegated to the bench for Saturday's game against Bolton. His tireless running last night culminating in his smoothly taken opening goal after Ryan Giggs took Nani's pass and played him in.

Da Silva, the boy from Fluminese on his Champions League debut, was the night's surprise package, starting instead of Wes Brown. He had fired in two long-range efforts and made several strong advances down the right before trying an exquisite chip after winning the ball on the edge of the box, which Karim Zaza in the Aalborg goal had to touch over; evidence that he might prove the heir to Gary Neville.

"We have great hopes for the lad," Ferguson said last night. "He has no fear, is a very positive attacker and he has a great chance. A lot of people may be surprised by me not going for Wes Brown, but the boy's special."

After the goalless draw at home to Villarreal, a win which takes United top of Group E on goal difference was significant – a "good foundation to go into the double header with Celtic," as Ferguson put it. United would have anticipated more from a side which held Celtic on their own pitch. The banner rigged up by some Aalborg fans read "Welcome to Hell" suggested they were not taking themselves too seriously.

From the start Aalborg looked overwhelmed defensively and should have been behind within five minutes when Ronaldo charged down Zaza's clearance into Berbatov's path.

The home side showed a capacity to threaten on the counter-attack – their only hope of any return from this match. A good move down the left released Thomas Enevoldsen to cross low across a crowded area, the ball falling to Jeppe Curth whose shot was blocked by Patrice Evra.

But Giggs, Scholes' replacement, was a major influence and had just provided evidence of his threat, weaving through the centre of the home defence, when Aalborg sealed their own fate on 55 minutes. Captain Thomas Augustinussen failed to control a ball sent to him on his own 18 yard box by Olfers. He watched the ball loop up into the path of Berbatov who volleyed home right footed. United soon had the ball in the net again, Berbatov flicking on to Nani whose cross was handled by Carlos Tevez – on for Rooney just before the hour – as he bundled the ball in.

Tevez hit the side-netting after Giggs supplied him and should have scored when Tevez ran loose in the penalty area but opted to cross for Ronaldo to his left when he seemed certain to score himself.

The Aalborg manager, Bruce Rioch, who left his press conference bidding farewell to old British friends, was as deferential to United as he has been all week. "We knew it would be tough and we were playing a team that beat Roma two years ago 7-0 at Old Trafford," he said. "It was difficult [after the second goal] because they were flowing and moving well and have so many other options."

United will not find the going as easy when Celtic arrive in Manchester but their manager can at least head for that game with confidence renewed.

Aalborg (4-2-3-1): Zaza; Bogelund, Olfers, Beauchamp (Caca, 37), Pedersen; Augustinussen, Risgard; Curth, Johansson, Enevoldsen; Saganowski. Substitutes not used: Stenild, Due, Braemer, Sorensen, Kristensen, Schwartz.

Manchester United (4-2-2-2): Van der Sar; Rafael (Brown, 65), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Scholes (Giggs, 15), O'Shea; Ronaldo, Nani; Rooney (Tevez, 58), Berbatov. Substitutes not used: Amos, Anderson, Park, Evans.

Referee: O Benquerenca (Portugal).