This was Robin van Persie's opening night on his new stage. Clearly, somebody forget to tell Marouane Fellaini; he tore up the script and wrote his own version. Fellaini's virtuoso display ensuring United's first opening game defeat in eight years.

The game began in a fiery manner; both sides buzzed looking for the upper hand. Nani and Scholes gained early entry into the referee's notebook after some agricultural tackling. The game's first real opening fell to Fellaini. Powering past Valencia and Carrick, his effort cannoned off De Gea's post to safety. Despite the warning shot, United did not take heed.

During the first half, Everton came close on several occasions. Steven Pienaar's looping header and curling effort were repelled, along with an Osman half volley, as De Gea battled to keep Everton out. Wayne Rooney‘s free kick drew a smart save from Tim Howard in a moment of rare United quality.

The visitors struggled to penetrate Everton's disciplined rearguard. On the rare occasions they did, the finishing was absent. Evra's pull back found Rooney but his scuffed shot lacked power. With the interval approaching, a Baines free kick stung De Gea's fingertips.

Just after the interval, the woodwork came to United's rescue for a second time. The ever-involved Fellaini headed into Osman's path and his effort cracked the crossbar with De Gea beaten. United's other debutant, Shinji Kagawa impressed and he almost created an opener for Welbeck. Phil Jagielka's last-ditch tackle saving Everton as Welbeck prepared to shoot.

Somewhat fittingly, Fellaini, the best player on the pitch, gave Everton the lead. With 57 minutes on the clock, the Belgian rose to power a Gibson corner beyond De Gea. Fellaini got the better of Carrick for the goal, as he did all night. Pressed into emergency centre back duty, Carrick struggled with Fellaini's poise and power throughout.

A man mountain in defence, Jagielka rescued Everton again when Cleverley threatened. The centre back clearing off the line as Cleverley readied to turn the ball into an unguarded net. Colossal performances were all over. If it moved, Sylvain Distin followed it whilst Tony Hibbert tackled ferociously. The midfield quartet of Pienaar, Neville, Gibson and Osman worked tirelessly and Leighton Baines continues to prove his class.

The clock showed 67 minutes and Van Persie entered the fray but this will not be a debut fondly remembered. The final act began and Everton started to tire. Dropping deeper and deeper, the home side invited pressure. Unfortunately, for the visitors, every attack crashed into a blue wall. Kagawa nearly lifted one over Howard as United began to turn the screw.

Ferguson changed things up as Ashley Young and Anderson came on. Despite the personnel changes, the pattern remained; United could not break down Everton's defence. Jelavic cramped up with Everton players leaving every bead of sweat and energy on the Goodison turf. The fourth official signalled four minutes, the home crowd howled with derision and Anderson fired wide.

After 95 pulsating minutes, Andre Marriner blew his whistle. Afterwards, Sir Alex Ferguson played the pantomime villain, “Fellaini is a gangly lad and they just lumped the ball to him, that's all they did”. Such words do a disservice to Everton and David Moyes. With 11 home wins from 14, Goodison is a fortress once more and Fellaini is its king.

Lacking the finances of the league's established order, Everton will look to bridge the gap in other ways and many of those qualities were on display against United. Famed for their slow starts, Everton need to build on this win. Winning and losing can develop into habits; Everton need to ensure that winning becomes their habit.

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