They were badly missed during their absence, with Modric's clever range of passing providing a neat link between midfield and attack.
Scholes and Brown worked a clever close-range combination on the right and a long diagonal cross saw Ronaldo rising above the earthbound Michael Essien.
Giroud added his second with a clever close-range finish, and Ayoze Perez gave Newcastle hope with a header.
But home nerves were eased when Payne jinked inside Van der Merwe to produce a clever close-range finish in the 74th minute after some busy scrum-half work from Marshall.
But beyond G.M.'s over-the-top introductory hoopla and notwithstanding rightwing animosity (or recent questions about the possibility of postcrash battery fires), the Volt is a significant technical accomplishment and a clever shortcut around electric-car range anxiety.
There is a nifty "so you thought you were rescued" moment involving a good Samaritan's sudden demise via a long range rifle, and a clever scene in which Liz discovers a collection of camcorders taken from Mick's victims.
Adnan Januzaj scored the game's only goal from close range after reaching a clever pass from Juan Mata as the Red Devils took their unbeaten run at the ground to 20 league matches.
Barkley fell short with a long-range penalty, while a clever kick and chase from Juan Imhoff saw Edinburgh winger Dougie Fife scrambling well to clear.
First Rooney failed to properly connect with a clever Hayes free-kick and so missed a clear chance while unmarked at close range.
Jackson's first, a clever deflection past the goalkeeper, was matched only by his second, a delicate lift past the keeper from close range.
