Wednesday, February 20, 2008, might well go down in football’s history books as the changing of the guard at Manchester United. It was around 9.30pm UK time that Sir Alex Ferguson decided on two significant team changes during United’s Champions League match against the French champions Lyon.

Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes departed and Nani and Carlos Tevez entered the fray. Scholes, Giggs and Gary Neville (will we ever see him again after his crippling injury?) are the only players remaining from the now notorious Class of ’93, and their appearances in the team that they have served so loyally and unswervingly for 15 years are becoming fewer and fewer.

Less time on the pitch, a spot of TLC. I don’t recall many games over the past two or three seasons when at least one member of that wonderfully talented group of youngsters - David Beckham, Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville, Giggs – hasn’t been on the pitch at the final whistle. Did the withdrawal of Giggs and Scholes last night signal the end of an era, an inevitability in time that United fans, like myself, might have been trying to block from their minds?

Perhaps not this week, but it is not far away. Sure, we’ll see them again. Sure, they still have a part to play as United battle away on three fronts for more glory, more trophies. But their influence is on the wane, their energy levels in decline, their bodies no longer able to cope with the sheer physical demands of today’s game. Giggs was making his 100th appearance in the European Cup/Champions league, testimony not only to the Welshman’s durability but also to United’s consistently high performances and appearances on the European stage.

It was strange, and sad, to see Giggs and Scholes trot off together last night, making way for the new generation of United youth, but trailing to a goal scored by Karim Benzema, the striker Ferguson is apparently keen to sign, United needed new legs, new ideas and an infusion of fresh energy if they wanted to avoid a tough second leg fight from a goal behind.

Nani and Tevez provided just that and Tevez, in particular, was instrumental in giving United that extra zip, linking as he always seems to do so effectively with Wayne Rooney and throwing the French onto the back foot. The added accuracy of Michael Carrick’s passing for the dogged, industrious Owen Hargreaves 10 minutes from time, gave United even more potency, and they fully deserved their rescuing equaliser, fittingly from the boot of Tevez, who has now scored on his last three Champions League appearances.