IT IS the great Everton conundrum, a footballing puzzler to rank alongside mysteries such as Portsmouth’s business plan, how Chris Kamara’s moustache can be so precise and Sepp Blatter: why? Early in the campaign, David Moyes’ team were losing to Burnley, Hull and Bolton, scuffling around the relegation places and continuing to reel, it seemed, from a 6-1 home defeat on the opening day to Arsenal. In the period since Christmas they have been, arguably, the best team in the Premier League.

Everton underwent a similar transformation last season and you wonder where they might be in the haphazard championship of 2009-10 with a bit more consistency. “We were well beaten,” said Sir Alex Ferguson, a phrase he has almost never had to utter since the Premier League’s formation in 1992-93.

Injuries are a factor that go a significant way towards explaining the Toffees’ sticky patches. Moyes has been an under-resourced, over-performing manager for years and when important players are out, his squad is so shallow that Everton are affected more than other leading sides would be. They started the season without their two best performers in 2008-09, Phil Jagielka and Mikel Arteta, saw Joleon Lescott leave and had Louis Saha and Tim Cahill in and out of the treatment room because of knocks. But absences do not explain everything.

“The pleasing thing was we won today without Cahill and [Marouane] Fellaini. At the start of the season we struggled when players were missing,” said Moyes. “But there were other reasons.” He would not divulge these but it is likely that, just as at the start of 2008-09, Everton found it hard to get going because of the disappointment of another summer transfer window where the funds needed to allow this admirable manager and set of players to kick on did not materialise. Everton’s best strategy for the future remains Moyes’s current one: try to make clever, inexpensive signings and develop youth. Thus, this victory. Early dominance and an early goal by Manchester United were neutralised by a wonder strike from Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, who is proving good value for £9m. Wayne Rooney was quelled by the centre-back pairing of John Heitinga and Sylvain Distin, who combined cost less than half the £25m for which Lescott went to Manchester City.

Then came the youth. Dan Gosling, Moyes’ first substitute, scored from close range and Jack Rodwell, his second, added an imperious third goal two minutes after coming on. Fabio Capello is beginning to think about Rodwell in England terms. “At the moment he could be best doing what he did today, which is breaking on to things but his size gives you the impression he must be a defensive midfielder in the future,” Moyes said.

Landon Donovan was Everton’s other standout and there is anguish at Goodison that the American, although he would probably stay until May if he could, will almost certainly return to LA Galaxy next month because of the terms of his loan from the MLS team.

Thanks to Donovan and flashes from Steven Pienaar and Arteta, United were second best for creativity and guile and Rooney - barracked by Everton fans, though not as badly as on previous returns to Goodison - suffered in a performance Ferguson admitted was “tired”. It was Rooney who lost possession leading up to Rodwell’s 90th-minute goal. Arteta fed the 18-year-old, who beat Jonny Evans - leaden all afternoon - with disturbing ease and finished elegantly from the edge of United’s box with an angled shot. It was in front of Goodison’s iconic Gwladys Street end and Rodwell was booked for yanking his shirt off and careering into the fans.

Dimitar Berbatov’s opener seemed a long time ago. Rooney had switched play nicely for Antonio Valencia to round Leighton Baines and centre hard and low. The ball slewed off Heitinga and Berbatov controlled adeptly before drilling it in off the bar.

United’s lead lasted three minutes. Evans won a header when Heitinga pumped a clearance forward but Bilyaletdinov collected and lasered a left-foot shot from 25 yards past Edwin Van Der Sar.

Chances were traded for the remainder of the first half, Bilyaletdinov slicing over when Baines crossed, Donovan missing from another good Baines centre, Ji-Sung Park heading poorly when set up by Valencia and Rooney rounding Tim Howard only for Phil Neville to make a saving challenge. In the second period Everton were seemingly fresher, even though they, like United, had a midweek European game. Moyes’s men enjoyed territorial advantage and looked sure winners as soon as Gosling scored. Donovan fed the overlapping Pienaar with a lovely pass and his fine centre beat United’s slothful centre-backs and Gosling finished crisply.

Donovan, Moyes revealed, almost pulled out because of flu. Until last week, Everton had gone 55 matches against Chelsea and United, only winning once. Now they have beaten both in successive games.

Star man: Sylvain Distin (Everton) Yellow cards: Everton: Arteta, Pienaar, Saha, Osman, Rodwell Man United: Fletcher
Referee: H Webb Attendance: 39,448

Everton: Howard 7, P Neville 7, Heitinga 8, Distin 8, Baines 7, Bilyaletdinov 7 (Gosling 70min), Arteta 6, Osman 6, Pienaar 7 (Rodwell 88min), Donovan 8, Saha 6
Manchester United: Van Der Sar 5, G Neville 5, Brown 5, Evans 4, Evra 7, Valencia 6 (Owen 81min), Fletcher 6, Carrick 5, Park 5 (Obertan 66min), Rooney 6, Berbatov 6 (Scholes 66min)

For match stats and how the match unfolded, click here