Manchester United players attended the club's annual Unicef gala dinner on Wednesday night as Premier League rivals Chelsea slogged it out in the Leeds rain across the Pennines.

A week after he went all Gangnam Style at the club's Christmas party, Shinji Kagawa appeared to enjoy the red carpet limelight while most of the other players were accompanied by their wives and girlfriends.

The players could have been forgiven for relaxing that bit more with manager Sir Alex Ferguson not in attendance as he gave a masterclass to Harvard University students in Boston.

BBC political editor Nick Robinson was the evening's compere.

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  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Jonny Evans and girlfriend Kate Wathall arrive at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • FBL-BRITAIN-MAN UTD-CHARITY-UNICEF-GALA

    Manchester United's Japanese player Shinji Kagawa poses for pictures as he arrives for the 13th annual United for UNICEF charity gala dinner at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on December 19, 2012. The event marks 13 years of partnership between Manchester United and UNICEF and raises funds for the charity to support their work around the world for vulnerable children. AFP PHOTO/HOWARD WALKER (Photo credit should read HOWARD WALKER/AFP/Getty Images)

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Nick Powell arrives with an unidentified woman at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    L-R, Manchester United's Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young and Danny Welbeck arrive at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Patrice Evra and his wife Sandra arrive at the clubs' Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyldesley arrives at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • United for Unicef gala dinner - Manchester

    Mark Wright from TOWIE during the Manchester United UNICEF Dinner at Old Trafford, Manchester

  • United for Unicef gala dinner - Manchester

    Mark Wright arrives at the Manchester United United for Unicef gala dinner at Old Trafford.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Ryan Giggs arrives at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • United for Unicef gala dinner - Manchester

    Mark Wright arrives at the Manchester United United for Unicef gala dinner at Old Trafford.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Chris Smalling and girlfriend Sam Cooke arrive at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Phil Jones arrives with an unidentified woman at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's David De Gea, left, and Javier Hernandez arrive at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Darren Fletcher arrives with his wife Hayley Grice at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Ryan Giggs arrives at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Michael Carrick arrives at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Alexander Büttner arrives with an unidentified woman at the club's Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

  • Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner

    Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa arrives at the clubs' Old Trafford stadium for the Manchester United UNICEF Gala Dinner.

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    Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand (L) and Wayne Rooney pose for pictures as they arrive for the 13th annual United for UNICEF charity gala dinner at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on December 19, 2012. The event marks 13 years of partnership between Manchester United and UNICEF and raises funds for the charity to support their work around the world for vulnerable children. AFP PHOTO/HOWARD WALKER (Photo credit should read HOWARD WALKER/AFP/Getty Images)

  • FBL-BRITAIN-MAN UTD-CHARITY-UNICEF-GALA

    Manchester United's Brazilian player Rafael poses for pictures as he arrives for the 13th annual United for UNICEF charity gala dinner at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on December 19, 2012. The event marks 13 years of partnership between Manchester United and UNICEF and raises funds for the charity to support their work around the world for vulnerable children. AFP PHOTO/HOWARD WALKER (Photo credit should read HOWARD WALKER/AFP/Getty Images)

  • FBL-BRITAIN-MAN UTD-CHARITY-UNICEF-GALA

    Manchester United's Spanish Davis De Gea (L), Mexican Javier Hernandez (C) and Ecuadorian Antonio Valencia pose for pictures as they arrive for the 13th annual United for UNICEF charity gala dinner at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on December 19, 2012. The event marks 13 years of partnership between Manchester United and UNICEF and raises funds for the charity to support their work around the world for vulnerable children. AFP PHOTO/HOWARD WALKER (Photo credit should read HOWARD WALKER/AFP/Getty Images)

  • FBL-BRITAIN-MAN UTD-CHARITY-UNICEF-GALA

    Manchester United's captain Patrice Evra and wife Sandra pose for pictures as they arrive for the 13th annual United for UNICEF charity gala dinner at Old Trafford in Manchester, north-west England on December 19, 2012. The event marks 13 years of partnership between Manchester United and UNICEF and raises funds for the charity to support their work around the world for vulnerable children. AFP PHOTO/HOWARD WALKER (Photo credit should read HOWARD WALKER/AFP/Getty Images)

  • Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney and Darren Fletcher

  • Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney

  • David de Gea, Javier Hernández, Antonio Valencia and Rafael da Silva

  • The BBC's Nick Robinson talks to Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidić and Rio Ferdinand

  • The Manchester United squad attend the club's annual United for Unicef charity dinner at Old Trafford on December 19, 2012

  • Sam Johnstone

  • Mike Phelan

  • Antonio Valencia and Javier Hernández

  • Danny Welbeck, Ashley Young and Tom Cleverley