English FA Premiership/ Everton 3 Liverpool 0: Reputations are forged on displays such as this. David Moyes stood on the landing up in the gods of this stadium and mentioned Dixie Dean and Bob Latchford while, on Goodison Road below, joyous Everton supporters were still bellowing the name of the darling of the moment.

"Andy's got a long way to go before he's close to them," conceded the manager. "But, when I spoke to him about signing, I told him that these fans are longing to grab on to a hero." Instantly, memorably, they now have one.

Andy Johnson departed on Saturday clutching three bottles of champagne, buoyed by two goals and with the adulation of Evertonians ringing in his ears. The striker's game is about industry and selfless endeavour but, with pace and an ability to slice defences apart, he has qualities that have managers and fans drooling. He tore Liverpool apart, his speed and omnipotent threat terrorising jittery centre halves. As the architect of Everton's most riotous derby success in 42 years he has seared his name into this club's folklore.

Already the £8.6-million fee which prised him from Crystal Palace smacks of a bargain. The England head coach Steve McClaren, sitting next to Bill Kenwright, will have been heartened. "There were moments when we just turned and looked at each other," said the Everton chairman. "We didn't need to say anything given what he was doing out there."

The opportunism with which Johnson took his goals, capitalising ruthlessly on mistakes by Jamie Carragher and Jose Reina, was breathtaking. His willingness to harass defenders, inducing those errors, was key to victory.

"Maybe nowadays you need to pay that sort of money to sign a player who'll make a difference," said Moyes. "The board did brilliantly to come up with the money, but everyone can see what we've bought. He's a team player. Andy must be a dream for the boys in the middle of the park. He makes ordinary passes look good."

"I'm grateful to the manager for taking a chance on me," said the striker. "Not many players come out of the Championship for the big fee I did and people thought it was a bit of a gamble. I knew my own abilities, and I didn't think I had something to prove by coming here, but it was a big risk for the gaffer. I'd like to think I'm repaying him now."

It damns Liverpool's uncertainty in how best to combat him. In the Championship last season the better teams concentrated on nullifying his impact. Shut down Palace's best player, the theory went, and the team would succumb. It proved successful, not least in the play-offs when Watford prospered, but Liverpool did not know whether to sit deep or crunch him early. As a result, he was either offered space in which to charge or, alternatively, opponents swarmed at him and the likes of Mikel Arteta and Tim Cahill were liberated.

The Australian opened the scoring after Johnson, Arteta and the excellent Lee Carsley had combined. Carsley's hopeful pass induced mayhem for the second, Carragher miskicking for Johnson to rasp a shot beyond Reina at the near post. His second was pure comedy, Reina misjudging Carsley's shot, parrying then palming back the loose ball as he feared tumbling into his own net, with Johnson nodding home.

Liverpool depart for Eindhoven today with defensive frailties horribly clear. Reina's frequent errors are starting to undermine the faith of those ahead of him and with Steve Finnan weak in the challenge and with Leon Osman and Carragher just as culpable there is uncertainty across the backline.

The manager spoke of his team being "too nice". "We needed more aggression," he said. "They tried two long balls early on and we were afraid."

His selection may not have helped, with Craig Bellamy's pace ignored - the Welshman watched the derby at home with PSV and the trip to Chelsea next weekend in mind - and Gerrard's growl marginalised initially on the flank.

Defeat at Stamford Bridge and, already, the title would be edging out of reach. How Benitez must crave Everton's early season momentum. "Truth be known, I don't think many Everton managers have had it like this against Liverpool," added Moyes.

"The balance in the city is always tilted towards Liverpool. It's tough to be Evertonian." This morning, it is grimmer to be red.

• Guardian Service