A bespectacled Ruud van Nistelrooy had a long chat with fellow Dutchman Nathan Ake as they walked to their respective team buses that were to take them out of Wembley Stadium.

The two seemed relaxed as they chatted, and at one point van Nistelrooy, wearing a smart Manchester United coach’s tracksuit, broke into a warm smile.

Perhaps Ake had mentioned how relieved Manchester City were not to be playing anymore, otherwise Pep Guardiola would have been facing a fourth consecutive defeat in the Community Shield.

Van Nistelrooy, who scored 150 goals in 219 games for United between 2001 and 2006, returned to Old Trafford in the summer and was fully coached by Erik ten Hag as his assistant.

However, United’s goal drought on Saturday, which was largely the fault of Marcus Rashford, will surely force van Nistelrooy to spend the next few days giving lessons in his speciality – namely how to put the ball in the net – ahead of Friday’s Premier League opener against Fulham.

Ruud van Nistelrooy watched Man United struggle to convert chances in the Community Shield

The Dutchman will be looking to improve United’s goalscoring ability after they scored just 57 Premier League goals last season.

Although City looked the better team overall, befitting the champions who finished last season 31 points clear of their neighbours, United had by far the best scoring chances. Had Rashford finished at his best like van Nistelrooy did, rather than missing two sure shots in front of goal, FA Cup winners United would have already lifted another trophy before City had the chance to win the penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw.

United have been busy in the transfer market in recent days with Sir Jim Ratcliffe in charge of football operations and have been able to sign two established international defenders from Bayern Munich, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.

But it is the other end that United fans who have travelled back north will be most concerned about.

No other team in the top half of the Premier League scored fewer than United’s 57 goals in 38 league games last season and, according to the latest figures, things aren’t looking any better at the moment.

Rasmus Hojlund is out for six weeks through injury, Joshua Kirkzee has yet to play a game following his £36 million move from Bologna after missing the US tour, and Bruno Fernandes was far less effective as a false nine than he was in the FA Cup final.

Rashford scored seven goals in 33 games last season and the hope of a summer break after being left out of England’s Euro squad was not immediately apparent.

He appeared to be injury-free, but when he stood in front of goal with no City defenders near him, he twice missed the target, drawing loud groans from the United side of the stadium.

After the second miss, Rashford put his head in his hands and it seemed merciful when ten Hag replaced him towards the end, thus sparing him the torture of a penalty.

Man United had two golden opportunities to put the ball in the net at Wembley.

Marcus Rashford was unable to convert from close range, so the game went to penalties.

Although the manager tried to be kind afterwards: “I’m very happy that he gets these positions,” he said of Rashford, it is a cause for concern, especially because no one else seems to be taking responsibility for scoring goals.

Amad Diallo performed well outside the box, but when he had the goal in front of him, he chose to pass from a promising position rather than shoot.

The intended target was Mason Mount, but he was not quick enough to get into the six-yard box and missed the chance.

United had just two shots on goal all afternoon, one from Fernandes that Ederson easily saved, and although Alejandro Garnacho scored a fine goal from the bench, the Argentine is more likely to score good goals occasionally than to provide the volume of goals United need.

It is rare that elite players need to be technically trained before reaching Premier League level, but this appears to be an exception.

Rashford and others would directly benefit from van Nistelrooy’s ability to remain calm and confident in pressure situations in front of goal and to choose the right finish.

It is as if their entire attacking line needs a dose of the selfishness and ruthlessness that van Nistelrooy possessed in abundance as a world-class centre-forward.

United’s current strikers would benefit from developing the ruthless efficiency that made Van Nistelrooy so popular at Old Trafford.

United legend Paul Scholes would agree. He considers van Nistelrooy to be the best striker he has ever played with, even better than Andy Cole and Wayne Rooney: “From the first day I saw him in training, I thought, wow, what a player he is. He lived to score goals,” is his conclusion.

Ten Hag has tried to make it clear that he does not view his compatriot – a former PSV manager – as a flash in the pan, but given United’s current predicament, it would be foolish not to exploit van Nistelrooy’s special talent.

“He will work in different areas but I think the strikers will definitely benefit. He will have an impact,” agreed the United manager.

The fact that ten Hag is leading the team into the new season at all is surprising given United’s 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace towards the end of last season.

But with Dan Ashworth and other senior executives watching closely from their plush seats at Wembley Stadium, both results and performance need to improve sooner rather than later.

Ten Hag was satisfied with the narrow 7-6 penalty shoot-out defeat to City, especially because 2024 Euro finalist Luke Shaw was unavailable and Lisandro Martinez and then Facundo Pellistri had to step in as makeshift full-backs at different times.

Ten Hag’s team had to do without Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez was used as a makeshift full-back

The manager will be well aware that United got off to a terrible start last season, losing four of their first six games and their two home wins against Wolves and Nottingham Forest were narrow and lucky.

“We have a few days to prepare for Fulham. We have to use them very well and work hard,” warns ten Hag. Van Nistelrooy has to prove his goalscoring skills again and show Rashford a few tricks.