Red Devils show All Stars what it is to be in league of their own Manchester United came to Sydney and did what Manchester United have made an empire from, which is to win and win well. Actually, that's selling them short. They annihilated the A-League All Stars. Strike time: Danny Welbeck scores for Manchester United. In the end, it wasn't really a contest, and the difference in value between the respective squads synchronised with the 5-1 scoreline. Strangely for a Premier League champion, this was a United side that came with something to prove, to themselves and new manager David Moyes. Losing, as they dared to do in Bangkok, needed a response, a counterpunch. This was a knockout. The winter chill of Sydney was infinitely more comfortable than the Thai humidity and the players performed as if they were at Old Trafford, not ANZ Stadium. The super-impressive Jesse Lingard and Danny Welbeck grabbed a brace each, while Ryan Giggs had a hand in all three goals while he was on the pitch. His replacement, Robin van Persie, delivered the corner that Welbeck converted for United's fourth. With four minutes to play, Van Persie added one of his own, which is what most of the fans came to see. To be fair on United, they promised a show, and delivered in spades. That was good news for almost everyone, especially those among the 83,127 who paid triple-figures to come along, but not for the All Stars. High challenge: Manchester United were a cut above the A-League All Stars. The best you could say about the local selection was they had never played together before. They didn't represent the A-League with distinction. So when Ange Postecoglou put out a directive about playing the ball out from the back, it was too much of an ask at minimal notice. Their organisation was woeful. His 5-3-2 was patchwork up front and porous at the back, but in defence of coach and players, they've had only a week to get it right. It showed. Playing against football's Harlem Globetrotters, they offered no more than the Washington Generals. United began toying with the hosts from the outset, and Welbeck's dummy from Giggs' pass left a gaping hole for Lingard to exploit. The 20-year-old had time to take a touch and pick his spot past Ante Covic. The All Stars tried to respond, briefly, and very nearly equalised a minute later when Thomas Broich fizzed an effort just over the bar. But the odd moment of class aside, United looked a whole class apart from the All Stars. In one play, where Tom Cleverly stole the ball from Liam Miller, the former Red Devils' midfielder looked around as though he'd been pick-pocketed. After 34 minutes, they doubled their lead with a move that cut through the local defence too easily. Lingard blitzed through to find Giggs, who side-footed deftly for Welbeck, who finished superbly. Five minutes later, Welbeck casually winched the ball from Nigel Boogaard, rounded Covic and would have scored had it not been for the outstretched boot of Michael Beauchamp. Postecoglou rang the half-time changes for the All Stars in an effort to alter the flow of the match - and it did, briefly, when Besart Berisha scored. Set up by Brisbane teammate Broich, the Albanian turned substitute Michael Keane before shooting beyond Anders Lindegaard's reach. But any thoughts of a comeback were snuffed out when Lingard bagged his second, and what a goal it was. Receiving the ball from Giggs, he feigned past Josh Risdon and then smashed a rising shot past Michael Theo. Though few arriving at the ground knew who Lingard was, they left having known they'd seen a future star. Van Persie finally appeared after the hour mark to uproarious applause - even a standing ovation in parts - and the Dutchman made an instant impression. His inswinging corner was met by a superb header from Welbeck. Van Persie, so worshipped by Red Devils fans despite having spent barely 12 months in Manchester, couldn't help but make it five despite blowing the original effort. There were even chances to make it six or seven. Next week, Postecoglou takes Melbourne Victory to face Liverpool. He can only hope that the Reds are here for a holiday. The Red Devils certainly weren't. MANCHESTER UNITED 5 (Jesse Lingard 11m 55m Danny Welbeck 34m 70m Robin van Persie 87) bt A-LEAGUE ALL-STARS 1 (Besart Berisha 52) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Toma Masaaki. Crowd: 83,127. Twitter @sebt