All the footprints you've ever left and fear expecting ahead (Birmingham)

First game of the season and could we have asked for a better start? Yes, we probably could actually, but still, a home tie against a newly promoted club, can't complain. Only danger being that Birmingham rise to their first game in the Premiership, on the biggest stage they'll get.
Don't really see it though. Despite drawing our opening league games in the last two seasons, both against teams we should have beaten (Newcastle and Reading) I don't see a repeat this time round.
Sky Sports give this as our probable team:

Foster, Brown, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra, Carrick, Fletcher, Nani, Park, Berbatov, Rooney.

Foster should probably start but The Mail on Sunday suggest that,"Ferguson will be loath to leave Foster out but is seriously considering the option," so Kuszczak could start. Evans is still a doubt for the game so O'Shea may well replace him in the line up. The rest of the team is pretty much what I expect to start. Some interest in seeing if Sir Alex may start with Owen rather than Berba or Owen, but I still expect Rooney and Berba to be there together (I did read a report in which a Birmingham player said they knew how to deal with Owen and that they feared Berba more - reverse psychology? - have just spent 10 minutes trying to refind the article and can't, so no link...). Midfield options aplenty. Valencia could well start, and probably should, given how good he's looked pre-season, probably in place of Park. With the options we have centrally there seems little point speculating there. My personal preference would be for Anderson to start, give him a run and some confidence, with Carrick, but Fletcher may well get the nod.
Match facts, from The BBC - opening day:

Manchester United have lost their opening Premier League game only once since 1995 - away to Chelsea in 2004.
Birmingham have won their opening Premier League game once in five attempts. They beat Tottenham 1-0 at home in August 2003.

Birmingham's last win at Old Trafford (and last goal) was in 1978:

Manchester United are unbeaten against Birmingham in 21 games (20 league), winning 14 and drawing six since a 5-1 defeat at St Andrews on 11 November 1978.

So everything is set up for a good opening weekend. Prediction - Man United 2 Birmingham 0. Don't expect it to be a walk in the park, expect Birmingham to defend well without carrying much threat, in a typical Old Trafford encounter against "lesser" teams, but our extra class should out.