Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted with the partnership of Michael Owen and Federico Macheda after both found the back of the net on their Asian tour.
Owen, who moved to the Red Devils on a free transfer, is proving to be a shrewd buy after bagging his second goal in as many games since making his debut, while Macheda is a player Ferguson has high hopes for.
The pair started Monday's game ahead of Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov and the Italian opened the scoring against a Malaysian XI on 11 minutes, finishing coolly after picking up a cross from Darren Fletcher.
Owen struck again two minutes later, pouncing on a loose ball in the box after Zoran Tosic crossed from the left, driving it into the net from close range as the Red Devils won 2-0.
"If he stays fit it will be an absolute bonus for us," Ferguson said of Owen.
"There were a couple of cases where he's shown his real experience, and that's what he's really good at, his positioning, and he's so quick to get to the ball.
"Again, it was a typical Michael Owen goal. He reacted first and took it well, just as he did on Saturday. His whole contribution was very good so we're very pleased."
While Owen has plenty of pedigree, Macheda, at 17, is still learning the ropes although he already has hero status at Old Trafford after scoring a stunning injury-time winner on his debut against Aston Villa in April.
"We've got big hopes for Macheda - that's one of the main reasons why we didn't move (for someone else) in the market," said Ferguson.
"He's still only 17, but we've got great faith in the boy.
"He's strong, aggressive and a terrific finisher, he's got a lot of tremendous assets and is very much part of my pool of strikers though, along with Michael, Dimitar and Wayne.
"Of course, Federico played his part last season and scored two vital goals for us, but in essence he's still just a young lad improving his game, so having him alongside Michael is like having two new players really."
After giving all of his 22-strong squad some time on the pitch during their two victories over Malaysia, the manager also had praise for some of his younger players, such as Tosic, Jonny Evans, Fabio and Darron Gibson.
"They did quite well," he said.
"We have a very good squad of young players, and let's not forget Anderson is still only 21 and Nani is just 22.
"Everyone came through okay, apart from Fabio who was suffering with a little bit of tiredness and cramp. But overall we're pleased with how things went."
They next play FC Seoul on Friday, with Park Ji-Sung, who missed the Malaysia leg, joining his team-mates in the South Korean capital.
The Asian tour is wrapped up with a match against Hangzhou Greentown in China on July 26 before they move to Munich for the Audi Cup.
Ronaldo praise
Ferguson believes Cristiano Ronaldo could play for the club again one day, as he praised the Portuguese star's commitment during his six-year spell at Old Trafford.
"He may come back, you never know," Ferguson said.
"Sometimes it happens that way. He loved United. If you look back at the six years he had with us, he never missed training."
Ronaldo became the world's most expensive player when he moved to Real Madrid on a six-year deal worth around €94 million.
Still just 24, Ferguson was quoted as saying Ronaldo's best was yet to come, describing him as the top player in the world by a long shot.
"His best is yet to come. He's only 24. He came to the right club at the right part of his career," he said.
"He could have gone to Real Madrid, Barcelona or other clubs. But he came to the right one and appreciates that. It was always his intention to make his move.
"There's no doubt he's a huge loss and I think it's a challenge for us. It won't be the same without Ronaldo, it can't be.
"He's the best player in this world by absolutely miles, streets ahead of Lionel Messi, and Kaka," Ferguson added.