Manchester United grabbed a cruel late winner to take three points after Everton came back from a three-goal deficit.
With just two minutes to go Ruud van Nistelrooy broke 40,000 hearts when he headed home a Cristiano Ronaldo cross to seal victory in a remarkable game.
Louis Saha gave his side the lead and showed exactly why Sir Alex Ferguson so much cash for him.
It took just eight minutes for the £12million hitman to make his mark on the game and score his second goal in two outings.
Defender Mikael Silvestre relieved him of long ball from deep in his own half. The Everton defence were convinced the striker was offside and let him run.
But the linesman's flag stayed down and unmarked with only Nigel Martyn to beat, he took his time before firing off a mean left-footed shot that left the Everton keeper with no chance,.
Everton rallied briefly when Steve Watson combined with Duncan Ferguson on the edge of the United penalty box.
Watson held the ball up before laying it off for the incoming Ferguson but his dipping effort never looked like going in and bounced past the post.
Thomas Gravesen then gave the Blues some hope of getting back into the game in the 25th minute.
Ferguson held the ball up well in the box before knocking back to the Danish midfielder lurking on the edge of the 18-yard box, but the bald-headed battler couldn't find the net and instead skimmed the ball wide of the upright.
But that was full extent of the Blues first-half fightback.
Van Nistelrooy doubled United's lead with his 100th Premiership goal. It wasn't one of his most spectacular. Just six yards out he managed to slip the ball underneath the advancing Martyn.
With only 25 minutes gone the game looked virtually over as the home side as good as surrendered.
They were barely in the game and looked like a team getting a hammering they expected.
Their passing was so poor at one point the home crowd started an ironic cheer whenever their player found a blue shirt.
Then when Saha grabbed his second the result seemed a formality. Paul Scholes made the goal outside the Everton penalty box. Saha was on the left, completely ignored by Everton's defence and Scholes picked him out with a great cross.
The striker controlled the ball and volleyed a screaming shot past the beaten goalkeeper Martyn.
To the home fans' relief United decided to take pity on their struggling hosts by spurning a clutch of good chances.
In a carbon copy of his first goal Saha found himself free and alone with only Martyn to beat, but this time fired his shot wide.
Then van Nistelrooy was gifted a golden opportunity when Unsworth allowed him through on goal.
One on one with the Everton goalie he looked odds to get his 101st league goal, but he managed to screw the shot right across the goalmouth and wide.
David Moyes was visibly upset with his team's capitulation and bravely made three changes at the break.
The under-performing Alessandro Pistone, Francis Jeffers and Watson were replaced by Wayne Rooney, Tomasz Radzinski, and Gary Naysmith and the revitalised side made an immediate impact.
Rooney in particular was impressive exploding with a series of mazy runs, but it was Naysmith who made the more telling impact.
He whipped in an excellent corner for David Unsworth to head home from the back post and give his side a glimmer of hope.
And on the hour mark Rooney lifted those hopes even further with a stunning run on the edge of the box. He beat two men before launching a shot that Tim Howard tipped away for a corner.
Naysmith whipped in again and Ferguson was there to head home.
Finally United knew they were in a game as Everton had them on the back foot.
They were fighting for every ball with Rooney in particular desperate to grab an equaliser.
Despite playing some of the finest football of their season in the first half, the visitors just couldn't get back into the game.
Everton had them pinned in their own half and they fought a desperate battle to salvage a point.
Again and again they went close, Rooney beat Silvestre for one effort and fired in, but Howard was there to make the save.
Ferguson, Radzinski and Rooney were all causing United's back four a host of problems, proving that Moyes' switch of tactics to a three-man attack was paying dividends.
And in the 75the minute they managed to grab an elusive third goal.
A foul 30 yards from the goal gave Gravesen a chance to unleash a fine dipping cross and panicked the United defence, allowing Kevin Kilbane to rise up and head the ball into the net.
The scene was set for Everton to complete their stunning fightback and go on for victory and 40,000 of the Goodison faithful screamed and shouted, urging their heroes on.
But United really needed a victory and their threat began to tell as the game drew to a close.
Ryan Giggs went close with on effort as holes began to show in the Everton defence as they pushed for victory.
Then with just two minutes left on the clock van Nistelrooy was picked out by sub Ronaldo on the edge of the Blues six-yard box.
The Portuguese star launched a pinpoint cross and his goalscoring Dutch team-mate powered a header past Martyn to the devastation of Everton's hopes.
Speaking after the game Moyes praised his players' attitude and admitted he was stunned by the second-half comeback.
He said: "You don't expect to come back from 3-0 down against Man Utd and at 3-3 I just wanted the full-time whistle to blow." Man of the Match: Louis Saha - Three goals in two games prove just how shrewd Sir Alex Ferguson was right to pay £12.8million for the Fulham striker.