BY MATT DICKINSON ( The Times )

DWIGHT YORKE swept into Old Trafford as if he owned the place last night. Perhaps he had not heard the news. Nor had many others judging by the muted reactions to the monumental events of the day.

Of all the demonstrations at Manchester United - and there was barely a whimper from disgusted of Salford - by far the most emphatic was the home debut of Yorke, whose two goals provided the flourishes to a wonderful display of attacking invention.

Better at dropping deep than Teddy Sheringham, more penetrating when thrusting forward than Andy Cole and with composed finishes from both head and foot, the Trinidad and Tobago international ensured that it was a jaunty rather than festering crowd that trooped out of Old Trafford.

Around him, United had the look of a side who knew they had been idling in the opening weeks of the season. With the first victory in the FA Carling Premiership under their belt, they can be expected to rise quicker than their share price.

Last night they passed Charlton Athletic on the way down, although there was no shame for the London side, who at least lost trying to win. They enjoyed the best of the opening 30 minutes and even took the lead, although they may have regretted spurring United into their best quick-passing form.

"Charlton provided us with a few problems early on," Alex Ferguson, the United manager, said, "but once they scored we lifted our game and I could not ask for a better performance. Yorke's whole contribution, his ability to turn defenders gave us something extra and the fans got behind us as I thought they would."

If the dissent was muted to say the least, it was because the United fans had more pressing matters to worry about. Such as whether Jesper Blomqvist, making his debut, could prove more than just an emergency understudy for Ryan Giggs. Or whether Yorke, on his first home appearance, could prove that, at last, the club had a centre forward with goals in his boots.

While the verdict on Blomqvist will have to wait beyond this display of only sporadic bursts, the sight of some of Yorke's graceful touches must have been heartening not only to the United supporters but also to some of his team-mates who have seen their attacks founder on Andy Cole's shins. The forward performed his full repertoire of tricks in one elegant move, controlling a fiercely hit pass from David Beckham as if his boots were cushioned with cotton wool before flicking the ball intelligently through to Scholes. The England international wastefully shot wide.

It was one of ample chances that the home side had to grab the lead, but it took a goal at the other end to rouse them into their best play, Mark Kinsella's shot from 25 yards catching Peter Schmeichel wrong-footed as it deflected en route to goal.

No doubt there were chuckles from coast to coast at the thought of little Charlton embarassing United on this day of all £623 million takeover days, but it did not take long for the proper order to be re-established.

United's equaliser arrived after 39 minutes when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, playing in place of the "rested" Cole, advanced his claim to be Yorke's natural partner. The Norwegian appeared to have lost possession on the edge of the area, but he quickly recovered to hit a ferocious dipping shot past Ilic.

Yorke had excelled throughout, and he fully deserved his first goal shortly before half-time, heading in Beckham's free kick at the far post. The relaxed finish bore the look of a man who knows there are plenty more to come.

"I had nine great years at Aston Villa but this is another dimension," Yorke said. "You just have to look to your left and right to realise the quality in this team. I know I won't score in every game, but I just want to be consistent."

Indeed, it took Yorke only three more minutes to register his second goal in United colours on only his second appearance, and what a fine move it was, Scholes shrugging off his miserable early-season form to find Beckham wide on the right with a perfectly struck missile of a pass.

Even Posh Spice, watching from the stands, must have appreciated what followed as her fiancè struck a low, crisp drive that Yorke swept sweetly in to a bulging net. The £12.6 million signing departed soon after to a well-deserved standing ovation.

More followed for United's bouyant supporters after 64 minutes when Solksjaer also grabbed a brace, throwing himself into a diving header to add the finish to Henning Berg's deep cross.

By that stage, even the male streaker who ran on to the pitch was finding gaping holes in Charlton's retreating defence.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - D Irwin (sub: H Berg, 57min), R Johnsen, J Stam, P Neville - D Beckham, R Keane, P Scholes, J Blomqvist - O G Solskjaer (sub: A Cole, 68), D Yorke (sub: E Sheringham, 68).

CHARLTON ATHLETIC (4-4-2): S Ilic - D Mills, S Brown, E Youds, C Powell - S Newton (sub: P Mortimer, 56), N Redfearn, M Kinsella (sub: K Jones, 76), J Robinson - C Mendonca (sub: S Jones, 71), A Hunt

Referee: P Durkin.