BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — David Moyes’ reign at Manchester United began with an embarrassing upset yesterday as his highly paid squad of players slumped to a 1-0 defeat against Thailand’s Singha All-Star XI in Bangkok.

The new manager sat grim-faced on the bench as the feted visitors, who have been given a hero’s welcome in Thailand, failed to recover after falling behind early in the second half.

The Premier League champions cannot even say the goal was against the run of play after scorer Teeratep Winothai had had two of the best chances of the game up to that point.

The result, albeit in a meaningless friendly and with a youthful team, will not ease the task of Moyes as he seeks to follow Alex Ferguson’s 27-year, 38-trophy stint at the world’s most famous club.

Fans had paid up to 4,000 baht (US$130) for tickets, but they may have been feeling short-changed after a slow start to the match on a sultry evening in suburban Bangkok.

Moyes played Danny Welbeck as a lone striker in his first line-up, weakened by a number of absences, including Robin van Persie and the unsettled Wayne Rooney, who abruptly left the tour with a hamstring injury.

And it was the host team, comprised of the best players from the Thai league, who almost seized the initiative when Teeratep raced through early on only to be denied by Jonny Evans’ last-ditch tackle.

Eighteen-year-old Belgian debutant Adnan Januzaj was United’s stand-out player in the first half, showing a full range of tricks and passes, but he spurned their closest opportunity when he volleyed over from a Fabio cross.

Slow handclaps and the dreaded Mexican wave pervaded Rajamangala Stadium and the stuttering visitors’ cause was not helped when leftback Alex Buttner went off holding his right thigh.