Scott Barefoot reports

Michael Owen gave Wayne Rooney a lesson in finishing and Harry Kewell grabbed his maiden goal for his new club as Liverpool romped to derby day joy at Goodison Park, live on Sky Sports.

A first victory of the season, a hearty slap down for the next-door neighbour and a fourth consecutive win in their backyard - it was enough to make Gerard Houllier believe he'd forgotten to set the alarm clock for the early kick-off.

While the Hutton Inquiry takes centre stage on the front pages of national newspapers, it's Houllier who is under fire in the Liverpool Echo, with doubters claiming he has 'sexed down' Liverpool's dossier.

But a deeply satisfying day across Stanley Park has completely changed the complexion of their season; Liverpool leapt into the top five after swallowing these three points. Time, it seems, is all that's required for Liverpool to bloom.

That may or may not be the case, as it will take more than this victory to totally erase drab goalless draws against Aston Villa and Spurs and defeat to Chelsea on the opening day from Red memories. But this was the perfect tonic - if not a classic game of football.

Rooney was a threat all afternoon and did everything but score, while Duncan Ferguson came off the bench and smashed the crossbar. It won't stop David Moyes, however, from ripping into his charges for failing to give Liverpool real trouble.

A fixture that always scorches the Premiership fixture list, Gary Naysmith kicked off festivities by going through El-Hadji Diouf in the opening exchanges, earning a yellow card as Liverpool stroked the ball around in the first couple of minutes.

Everton's Tomasz Radzinski provided the first threat on goal. He shot twice in quick succession on nine minutes, his second effort a low blast just past the far post after Igor Biscan blundered playing offside.

Mark Pembridge curled just past the post on 16 minutes following another error from the Liverpool defender, who levelled Rooney 30 yards out. Biscan did better to rob Radzinski six minutes later after he scuttled in the box, however.

In between times Kewell caused concern when he had three left-foot shots on goal. Neither threatened Steven Simonsen, in for the injured Richard Wright. But it did give the visitors respite from Everton's early onslaught.

Liverpool had struggled to build any sort of momentum but a run from Diouf seemed to spark the pilot light. And seconds later some calm possession saw Kewell feed Owen and the England striker calmly slotted home with his left foot.

Boosted by their first goal of the season from open play, Liverpool opened up and never really looked like losing. Owen and Kewell brought about impressive saves from Simonsen and Everton, on top for the first 20 minutes, were never back in it.

There played mirrored the change in atmosphere within Goodison Park. The hope-filled 'Rooney' chants were replaced by boos and jeers and calls for the referee to caution red. Only a purposeful run and shot from Rooney that Jerzy Dudek blocked impressively raised spirits.

A free-kick early in the second-half from Pembridge caused a melee in the six-yard box after Dudek spilled. Radzinski and Rooney were in their sniffing but the rebound was hacked away by Sami Hyypia.

But if they thought that was the start fo a change in fortune, they were wrong. After Vladimir Smicer's effort nearly crept inside a post, Owen doubled Liverpool's lead. And David Moyes will want to have words with Joseph Yobo.

The Nigerian let Milan Baros to stride onto a ball deep in the Everton half. Yobo then allowed the young Czech to drive inside the box and collect himself before setting up Owen who was calmness personified slotting the ball past Simonsen.

Everton needed help. They nearly got it when Rooney gobbled up another error of judgment by Biscan to go clean through, but the striker sent his shot wide of the far post, wasting a very takeable opportunity. Moyes couldn't hide his distress.

Owen then forced a flying tip over from the Everton keeper from outside the box and Rooney's header skidded wide when it should have at least worked Dudek before multiple changes saw Ferguson's re-emergence. And that particular trick nearly worked.

As is the Everton cult hero's trademark, he took just a couple of minutes to take centre stage. With Liverpool's defence anticipating a strike from Alan Stubbs, Ferguson slapped a 20-yard free-kick against the crossbar that bounced down and out.

It was a cruel twist of fate as an Everton goal then could easily have provided a major turning point. But Liverpool, with 10 minutes left on the clock, made the points safe through new man Kewell and put the seal on a deeply satisfying afternoon.

MAN OF THE MATCH: KEWELL (LIVERPOOL)

At home at last, Kewell got his Anfield career up and running with a derby goal.