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Could you ask for a better opening match than home against United?
The beautiful thing about the first game of the season is that there is a supplied buzz already.
When the schedule gets released, we take marker to calendar and circle a few dates. The first match of the season pops out automatically, even more so if you've drawn Manchester United.
Everton had a string of stumblings to start seasons under David Moyes. The perception was that if Everton could somehow find a way to start well, they could surprise everyone. Another slow start wasn't an option and with Man U in town, it became evident the club needed to be in top form right away.
While the rest of the world was writing about Robin Van Persie, our Fro wearing Belgian penned his own story. Marouane Fellaini put on one of the most dominant performances I had ever seen in soccer. He turned Michael Carrick into a traffic cone and showed Nemanja Vidic no respect.
It was evident from the first seconds of the game that this was the Fellaini we all know and love. The ball was sticking to him all night. He was able to bring down long balls in front of world-class defenders all night and turn them into chances.
Just over 10 minutes in Fellaini turned a Leighton Baines throw in into a wake-up call for everyone who was watching (including Antonio Valencia).
At the end of the first half we could have easily been two to the good, but David De Gea decided he was going to show a flash of brilliance that his supporters swore he has.
The match felt like one that had goals in it, but De Gea -- and Tim Howard for that matter -- made saves that forced you to second guess that gut feeling.
That creeping paranoia got even worse when Leon Osman railed the crossbar and then Phil Jagielka robbed Danny Welbeck of a dream goal with the tackle of his lifetime.
Then just shy of the hour mark all was made right.
A corner kick to Everton, coming in from the right side.
Fellaini was still acting a bull, using his size and strength to give the Man U rearguards fits. Inside the box he was battling all night and getting the better of everyone except for De Gea.
Darron Gibson floated in a neat corner that Fellaini never took his eyes off. Fellaini got up on Carrick, met the ball with power, and sent Goodison into a frenzy.
We were able to hang on to three beautiful points to the start the season in what turned out to be the last ever meeting between Sir Alex Ferguson and Goodison Park.
Now there is a very real possibility that Fellaini may be on the move to the team that saw him at his absolute best. There are two very valid schools of thought on whether or not The Toffees benefit more from keeping Fellaini or taking the riches he'd demand and spending them elsewhere.
But one thing is for certain, Fellaini's performance against the Red Devils was the stuff of legend and something we will never forget, no matter what.
For that week in August we were the kings of the world, all thanks to one big Belgian,