MAROUANE FELLAINI inspired Everton to victory over Manchester United tonight - as the Blues started the season in rousing fashion.

The Belgium produced a man-of-the-match display and found the only goal of the game at Goodison Park this evening, heading home Darron Gibson’s corner early in the second half.

Fellaini’s wonderful performance helped David Moyes’ men to a first win over United under the lights at home, since April 2005 when Duncan Ferguson did the damage.

Although Phil Jagielka was required to clear Tom Cleverly’s shot off the line, Everton were the better side and had it not been for an fine performance from visiting goalkeeper David de Gea , then  their margin of triumph could have far more handsome.

But Moyes and the Everton faithful will happily settle for the one goal and the three points.

Despite the stirring end to the game, the first-half took time to warm up but was came to life with flurries of intense action.

Typically Fellaini, the game’s outstanding player, sparked the first rush when he held off Antonio Valencia, cruised beyond Michael Carrick before clipping an effort against the post.

Up to this point, the best United could muster was yellow cards for Nani and Paul Scholes.

Steven Pienaar’s looping header from the spoils of a corner so nearly caught David de Gea out but the Spanish stopper acrobatically tipped the effort over the bar.

The United keeper was becoming increasing busy by this point and he was again at his best to palm away Pienaar’s low drive.

United though had stirred.

Wayne Rooney’s fine free-kick was turned around the post by Tim Howard before the Everton old boy shot straight at the home goalkeeper after collecting Patrice Evra’s cross into the area.

But the Blues finished the half strongest and de Gea diverted Leon Osman’s shot over the bar before pushing Leighton Baines’ goalbound free-kick the same way.

He was, of course, pretty helpless from the moment Fellaini leapt high above Michael Carrick from Darron Gibson’s corner, 12 minutes after the restart.

Osman had gone agonisingly close just after the start of the second half, when he hit Fellaini’s headed knockdown first time but crashed the effort against the underside of the bar.

Goodison was rocking by this stage but momentarily held its breath when Tom Cleverly got glimpse of the goal with Howard on the floor.

But Phil Jagielka retreated in time to block the effort on the line.

United continued to push for the equaliser but they found Sylvain Distin and Jagielka, in particular, in resilient mood.

EVERTON (4-4-1-1): Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Osman (Coleman 80), Neville ©, Gibson, Pienaar, Fellaini (Heitinga 90), Jelavic (Naismith 90).  Subs: Mucha, Heitinga, Naismith, Gueye, Barkley, Coleman, Anichebe.

Goals: Fellaini (57)

Cautions: None

Red Cards: None

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-3-3): de Gea, Valencia, Vidic ©, Carrick, Evra, Cleverly (Anderson 85), Scholes, Kagawa, Nani (Young 78), Rooney, Welbeck (van Persie 68).  Subs: Lindergaard, Rafael, Anderson, Berbatov, Young, van Persie, Wooton.

Goals: None

Cautions: Nani, Scholes

Red Cards: None

Referee: Andre Marriner

Attendance: 38, 415