Joy of six for happy Wenger

Everton slumped to their worst home defeat since 1958, with Fabregas scoring twice in the second half adding to first period efforts from Denilson, William Gallas and new boy Thomas Vermaelen. Substitute Eduardo got the sixth in injury-time, before Louis Saha grabbed a consolation for Everton.

"We showed cohesion, attitude, team spirit and desire to play together, all these things were the reasons that we won," said Wenger.

"We have lost two good players, two great players (in Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Adebayor) in the summer to Manchester City, but when great players leave that allows space for other players to come in and prove they are good enough.

"People have been writing us off. But what is important is not what others say, but what we do.

"From being told we were not competitive before the game to now being told we are super-favourites is strange. But it is right to say that this is just the first game and we aim to continue to give our best.

"We have matured and this is a good basis to continue like that and to show what we want to do. We are told we do not have the squad, well we want to show that we do have the squad."

Everton boss Moyes, furious ahead of the game with Manchester City's conduct in their battle to sign Joleon Lescott, again dismissed claims from City boss Mark Hughes the deal was still on.

He said: "There is no deal, is there? And I have said often enough that Everton are not selling."