United defied the so-called Fratton Park hoodoo to claim a first league win of the season, thanks to the same scorer from the opening game - Darren Fletcher.
Whether Fletcher keeps the credit may yet be decided by the Dubious Goals Panel but there was nothing dubious about the outcome - the Reds were again superior to Portsmouth, especially in the final third. Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, the man who scored twice - including United’s goal of the season - on the Reds’ last win on this ground in 2005/06.
The champions were forced into several changes following the injuries sustained by key midfielders the opening match. Patrice Evra pushed up to deputise for Ryan Giggs on the left flank while Anderson made an instant return in Michael Carrick's central role, barely 24 hours after flying into England from the Beijing Olympics. Also back in the UK and back in the side was Carlos Tevez, who missed the Newcastle match after a family bereavement.
United, on the other hand, were always dangerous with Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez linking up in attack again and Paul Scholes spraying passes left, right and centre. One exquisite ball wide to Wes Brown on the right flank led to Rooney's first shot on goal, into David James' midriff early on.
Scholes’ other trademark came to the fore in the 19th minute when he unleashed a missile after being teed up by Rooney at a direct free-kick. James dived to his left and dealt admirably with the slight swerve to parry the ball away.
A physical first half was not without its casualties - Tevez was on the receiving end of Diop’s bookable challenge shortly before Brown left the field for treatment to his right eye after being caught in a battle between John O’Shea and Peter Crouch.
Crouch was close to pulling the trigger in the 25th minute when Evra slid in with a brave last-ditch challenge to thwart the England striker. The resulting corner, the first for either side, presented Younes Kaboul with a free header but mercifully the Pompey defender nodded comfortably wide.
Evra was twice in action at the other end around the half-hour mark; first to lose control with a heavy touch when the linesman’s flag was raised; secondly to deliver a killer ball into the six-yard box for United’s breakthrough.
Fletcher attacked it at the near post and will claim his second goal of the season. However, TV replays suggested Portsmouth centre-back Sol Campbell may have diverted it past James and over the line, even before Sylvain Distin hooked the ball into the roof of the net.
The same technology backed Campbell moments later when he blocked a close-range flick with Rooney, but not with a hand as the United fans behind the goal had hoped.
Rooney threatened again at the end of a great build-up when, after turning onto Anderson’s arrowed pass across the edge of the area, he steered a low shot only inches wide of the post with James looking well beaten.
Brown was booked for a wild hack at Armand Traore just before half-time but escaped further punishment when Rooney headed the resulting free-kick away to safety.
United were the first team on the pitch for the second period and the first to create a decent opening. Tevez slipped a pass to Rooney on the left hand side of the area and when the England striker crossed the ball low to the far post, Anderson was only just beaten to it by Distin’s timely toes.
Van der Sar saw his first real action of the match on the hour mark when Portsmouth substitute Jerome Thomas tried his luck from distance – the Dutchman, alert as ever, beat away the effort with his fists.
Rooney had a strong shout for a penalty turned down when Campbell’s clumsy tackle stopped him from connecting with another Evra raid into the area.
Evra, then Fletcher on the follow-up, both had shots blocked by former Chelsea right-back Glen Johnson in the 70th minute, before Vidic’s header dipped just over the bar from an excellent Anderson corner on the left.
Jermain Defoe was booked for dissent just before Tevez curled a free-kick into James’ grasp. As if to sum up the difference in execution between the two clubs, a similar setpiece for Portsmouth saw Diarra’s kick strike United’s wall before it could even reach van der Sar.
Pompey continued to huff and puff but they were never going to blow United's defences down, not with Crouch somehow becoming a needle in a haystack while Vidic, Ferdinand and the marshall in front of them, John O'Shea, repelled one hoisted ball after another. The Reds played by far the more cultured football - substitute Rodrigo Possebon slipped gracefully into the groove when he came on - but combative qualities were just as crucial as the clock ticked down to confirm United's triumph.
Team Line-ups
Portsmouth: James, Kaboul, Campbell, Distin, Johnson, Diop, Davis (Utaka, 66), Diarra, Armand Traore (Thomas, 55), Crouch, Defoe.
Subs not used: Ashdown, Lauren, Hreidarsson, Mvuemba, Sahar.
Booked: Diop, Defoe.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, O'Shea, Fletcher, Anderson (Possebon, 76), Scholes, Evra, Rooney, Tevez.
Subs not used: Kuszczak, Neville, Fabio Da Silva, Rafael Da Silva, Gibson, Campbell.
Booked: Brown, Fletcher.
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