Man Utd - 3 Everton - 2 There is something about Manchester United that makes the blood drain from the faces of Evertonians. Their record against Alex Ferguson's men, with 19 defeats now in 23 Premiership games, is the most wretched of any top-flight club and, though the scoreline suggests a humdinger, the truth is that this was a chastening experience for David Moyes and his players.

They will be glad to have headed back along the M62 without any more damage to their goal difference, that Wayne Rooney was spared a red card and, in particular, that they do not have to renew acquaintances with Cristiano Ronaldo until the fixture at Goodison in February.

There has been much criticism of Ronaldo, but the Portuguese teenager with the sixth-form stubble and the white boots reminded us yesterday why Ferguson paid Sporting Lisbon £12.2 million for his services.

Kleberson was not far behind as the game's outstanding performer in the role usually filled by Paul Scholes, while David Bellion was a willing competitor as the seventh player this season to fill David Beckham's old position on the right.

Everton huffed and puffed, but Ferguson's gamble to make do without Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville, even with Roy Keane missing with a taut hamstring, never looked like backfiring.

"I thought the score flattered Everton," Ferguson later observed.

There was also the rarity of a Nicky Butt goal as he returned to the starting line-up for a Premiership match for the first time since November 1st. It has been a rough period for one of Sven-Goran Eriksson's first-choice England players, and his enduring popularity at Old Trafford was on show when every player bar Tim Howard mobbed him after the fierce shot that gave United an early lead.

Gary Neville's own-goal was a rare aberration in a match the Premiership leaders otherwise dominated and Duncan Ferguson's diving header in the final minute of normal time merely gave the result a deceptive appearance.

Far more irritating to United's manager was the news that John O'Shea strained a hamstring and Mikael Silvestre hurt his knee in a robust challenge from the Everton substitute Francis Jeffers.

The miracle is that Ronaldo did not join them on the treatment table, such was the venom in some of Everton's challenges. This time there could be no allegations of diving and gamesmanship.

"Ronaldo was brilliant, a constant danger, he gets fouled and comes back for more," said Neville.

At times it seemed as though the Everton players were queuing up to kick United's number seven. Worst of the lot was Rooney's pre-meditated lunge and if the referee Mike Dean had been less lenient the striker might have been sent off.

Instead, he escaped with his seventh yellow card of a bittersweet season. Rooney should be illuminating stadiums such as Old Trafford, but the greatest impression he made was the stud mark he left on his opponent's knee.

United's fans wondered whether he was enrolled in "fat camp" and, all in all, it was difficult to equate this angry young man with the effervescent teenager who, as a virtually unknown, slalomed 60 yards through the United defence in the corresponding fixture last season.

Moyes made it clear he did not want to speak about Rooney afterwards and chose instead to berate the officials for allowing Kleberson to sneak a few yards for the free-kick that led to United's second goal. He had a point, but it was certainly not 15 yards, as he alleged. Equally, Gravesen did the same for the free-kick that led to the otherwise excellent Neville heading in the own goal that cancelled out Butt's opener.

Neville soon made amends. Kleberson's free-kick was quickly worked across the pitch, via Ronaldo and Butt, to where the England fullback had advanced. The improvement in Neville's crossing has been one of the notable features of United post-Beckham and the one he delivered here was a beauty, a left-foot centre curled into the six-yard area where Kleberson had ghosted in Scholes-style to score with a crisp header.

It was the second half in which Ronaldo truly came into his own. Time and again, he teased Tony Hibbert with the ball. Finally, a typical surge into the penalty area ended with a low centre across the face of goal where Bellion was lurking to make it 3-1.

Old Trafford was emptying by the time Ferguson converted Gary Naysmith's late cross. United's is the biggest and most blasé crowd in the country and their fans will enjoy the view from top of the Premiership.

MANCHESTER UTD: Howard, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre (Djemba-Djemba 72), O'Shea (Scholes 50), Ronaldo, Butt, Kleberson, Fortune, Forlan, Bellion. Subs Not Used: Carroll, van Nistelrooy, Giggs. Goals: Butt 9, Kleberson 44, Bellion 68.

EVERTON: Martyn, Hibbert, Stubbs, Unsworth, Naysmith, Li Tie, Gravesen, Linderoth (Jeffers 63), Kilbane, Rooney (McFadden 70), Campbell (Ferguson 63). Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Yobo. Booked: Rooney, Jeffers. Goals: Gary Neville 13 og, Ferguson 90.

Referee: M Dean (Wirral).