Aston Villa grabbed the initiative in the race for UEFA Cup qualification when John Carew headed his 13th goal of the season to secure a priceless draw for the Midlanders.
Everton were ahead after 56 minutes through Phil Neville's deflected effort, with Gabriel Agbonlahor equalising with 10 minutes left. Joseph Yobo had Everton ahead again before Carew's last-ditch leveller.
The importance of this match was not lost on anyone. Both sides played instantly at a high tempo, launching into tackles and searching for goals.
Gareth Barry and John Carew saw efforts go wide as Villa had the better of early midfield exchanges.
Everton's best effort in the early stages came after 18 minutes when Ayegbeni Yakubu surged down the left, holding off and then bustling past Nigel Reo-Coker before firing in a shot that Scott Carson could only palm out.
But Manuel Fernandes mis-hit his effort wide as he tried to fire home the rebound.
genuine purpose
But it was Villa with the better chances. Carew's clever chip almost put Ashley Young clear in the box, before the former Watford youngster crashed a free-kick against the bar after Phil Jagielka's rash challenge on Gabriel Agbonlahor.
For Everton, Andrew Johnson's right-sided run created yards of space, but his low cross was behind both Steven Pienaar and Yakubu as they raced into the box.
Stiliyan Petrov was booked for a late challenge on Osman after 27 minutes, the match maintaining a fierce pace.
Everton emerged after the break with genuine purpose, looking for width and pace to unsettle Villa's defence.
Olof Mellberg, Martin Laursen and Zat Knight had given very little away, but after 56 minutes they were undone by Yakubu's strength and Phil Neville's rare shot.
Yakubu's first touch sent him powering away from Knight on the left, but his cross was wayward until it fell into Neville's path 25 yards out on the opposite flank.
It would have been easy to lash the effort over the bar, but Neville saw only his second goal of the season and his shot flicked off Laursen and past Carson.
extra strength
Villa sent on attacking players Patrik Berger and Marlon Harewood for defenders Knight and Wilfred Bouma, the need for goals now critical for Villa's European dreams.
And after 80 minutes they succeeded. Barry's corner swirled into the box and Agbonlahor was free eight yards out to side-foot the equaliser past Tim Howard's flaying hands.
Everton's response was to inject the extra strength and height of Victor Anichebe for Johnson after 82 minutes, Everton now in greater need of a goal.
And it came two minutes later when Carsley's clipped cross to the far post was met by Joseph Yobo, who slammed the ball into the roof of the net.
Everton thought they were home and dry, but two minutes later Villa were level again, Barry's cross being headed in by Carew, under intense pressure from Joleon Lescott.
Everton were still not finished and Yobo's header was chested around the post by Petrov.
