It is likely people will soon start to run out of superlatives to describe Rooney as a player with the world at his feet again showed just why he is held in such high esteem.

Following the successive defeats, Moyes decided it was time to call upon Rooney in a bid to stop the rot, with Tomasz Radzinski perhaps feeling aggrieved as he was the player to make way - and on his 29th birthday to boot.

But Moyes' decision was perfectly justified as Rooney captivated an expectant crowd at Goodison Park, playing his part in the equaliser before a sublime second, the 17-year-old seemingly only knows how to score sensational goals.

But that followed an explosive, all-action start to the game, with Everton skipper Kevin Campbell forcing Brad Friedel into a clutch save from a powerful header after 90 seconds.

It was Rovers who then grabbed a sixth-minute lead as David Thompson made Everton pay for slack marking with a piercing free-kick at the third time of asking.

On the previous two occasions Tony Hibbert had first cleared Blackburn captain Garry Flitcroft's close-range stab off the line, before Richard Wright then superbly blocked a Dwight Yorke flick at point-blank range.

Everton's defence had been exposed both times and they failed to heed the warning for, after Hibbert had been booked for a foul on Thompson, the Rovers midfielder then whipped in another superb delivery.

This time Andy Cole made no mistake, timing his run to perfection and stealing in front of the advancing Wright to head home his 150th Premiership goal.

Blackburn could have quickly doubled their advantage, only for Yorke to flash a 15-yard left-foot shot narrowly wide, and instead it was Everton who were back on level terms in the 12th minute.

Former Blackburn midfielder Lee Carsley, who scored 12 goals in his 54 appearances during his time at Ewood Park, started and finished the move.

It was his initial header which set Campbell free down the right, enabling him to turn in a low cross through the area which Rooney struck first time from 15 yards.

Although the ball hit the base of the post, it fortuitously rebounded behind a diving Friedel for Carsley to tap home from two yards.

It would have been no surprise if the pace of the match had dipped, but it remained unrelenting, while there could be no complaints about the entertainment value - least of all with Rooney on the pitch.

Following a crisp Yorke header which was narrowly over the bar, Everton grabbed the lead from the goal-kick and although it might have been route one football, the finish was 10 out of 10 from Rooney.

Wright's punt bounced once deep in the Blackburn half, with Rooney's initial flick on allowing him to pierce the defensive cover of Craig Short and James McEveley, who spent six years in Everton's juniors alongside the teenage star prior to his release.

Rooney then produced a superb right-foot finish beyond Friedel for his fifth goal of the season and his third in the league prior to taking the acclaim of the fans.

Cries of 'Rooney, Rooney' echoed around Goodison Park again a few minutes later as the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year impudently controlled a high, loose ball before then nutmegging Short.

Rooney's pace and power allowed him to shake off Short's challenge, but with only Friedel to beat he showed he is fallible with a rush of blood to the head and dragged his angled, right-foot, 15-yard shot well wide.

Rovers, though, were not out of it and nine minutes from the break Cole could have equalised only to see his drive beat Wright and cannon off the post.

But then in the initial 10 minutes after the break Rooney showed he has vision to go with his pace, power and skill as he twice delivered balls on a plate to Carsley and Thomas Gravesen.

Carsley should have burst the net with a first-time 18-yard drive, but it cleared the crossbar by inches, before an all-alone Gravesen attacked and beat Lucas Neill before a deft flick with the outside of his right boot drifted narrowly wide.

Neill was then sent off for his second bookable offence in the 74th minute for a foul on Hibbert on the edge of the area, following an earlier 14th minute caution for a tackle from behind on Gary Naysmith.

As Neill trudged off towards the technical area, Souness gave Barber a sarcastic round of applause, and then watched Friedel give his side an outside chance of a point as the American saved superbly from Alan Stubbs.

Blackburn refused to wilt with Wright pulling off a remarkable, full-stretch save to tip Short's flick to another Thompson free-kick over the bar in the 78th minute.

Although Everton survived a late siege, the day belonged to Rooney who was subbed in injury time by Radzinski, but the standing ovation as he left the pitch was fully merited.