It was not entirely convincing, it was not exactly pretty.
However, Manchester United's two main men came to the fore with Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney both scoring to hand their side a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace in the English Premier League.
After frustrating United for much of the first half, Palace were up against the wall when Kagisho Dikgacoi was sent off just before halftime with Van Persie slotting home the resultant penalty.
Rooney would then add the gloss late in the game to give Moyes his first win at Old Trafford as Manchester United manager.
Moyes chose to keep new signing Marouane Fellaini on the bench, but there was another surprise with Rooney - with a neat little headband in tow - named in the starting lineup.
United started pretty brightly, immediately posing a threat down the right hand side through Fabio and Antonio Valencia.
The first shot on target, though, came from an unlikely source in Michael Carrick, whose snapshot from 25 yards was well kept out by Julian Speroni.
Palace, who were so impressive in their previous game against Sunderland, looked a little overawed initially by the occasion, struggling at times to string together a few passes.
United had a penalty appeal turned down early after Patrice Evra went down inside the box after a neat one-two with Robin Van Persie, with the referee rightly waving play on.
Another United player bursting into the box and another penalty appeal was turned down soon after. This time it was Ashley Young, who tumbled down inside the box and was rightly booked by referee John Moss, after replays clearly showed Young hanging his foot out at the Crystal Palace defender before going down in a blatant dive.
Wayne Rooney and Van Persie - United's best bets for goals - were both trying to get themselves into the game and the duo nearly combined when Rooney found Van Persie with a raking cross to the far post. However, Palace were able to clear the Dutchman's knockdown into the six-yard area.
It came as no surprise when the deadly duo combined to carve out United's best chance of the half from open play. Rooney got his head up and picked out a sumptuous ball to Van Persie, who chested the ball down beautifully, but his right-footed shot from 12 yards only managed to shave the crossbar.
Immediately after, Palace nearly stole the opener, but Dwight Gayle, after a delightful first touch to leave Rio Ferdinand for dead, just poked his strike wide from a tight angle.
The game turned on its head just before halftime, as Dikgacoi was given a straight red card for bundling over Young, with the referee also awarding United a penalty. Replays showed the incident perhaps originated outside the box and while there was no argument about the foul, it probably should not have been a spotkick.
Nevertheless, United were not one to let go of the gift, and Van Persie, who else, coolly slotted home to give the Premier League champions a precious lead.
The second half was all about United probing for that second cushion goal, while Palace, despite their best efforts, looked a beaten side being a man down.
The most exciting aspect of the first 30 minutes of the second half came just past the hour mark when summer signing Fellaini was brought in for Anderson.
The Belgian international, who cost United £27.5 million, nearly got his first goal in United colours a few moments later, but Speroni kept out his well-directed shot from 22 yards.
Fellow substitute Adnan Januzaj also impressed after coming on and Rooney finally did get his goal, curling a perfect freekick past Speroni in the 81st minute to make it 2-0.
Playing against ten men can sometimes be more difficult than 11, but there is little doubt that this United side are yet to convince under Moyes.
But, the new manager won't mind that too much, as long as his side keep on picking up the three points from here on in.
Next up in the Premier League though, is that massive Manchester Derby at the Etihad against title rivals Man City.
