EVERTON 2-2 ASTON VILLA

No fixture has been played more often in the English top flight than this one.

But it has been a long time since a meeting between the Blues of Merseyside and the Claret & Blues of Birmingham has had so much riding on it.

Both sides have excelled this term. Both sides went into this match aware of how pivotal the result was to securing fifth place and Uefa Cup football next term.

There was no quarter asked for, or given. And, after 90 tense and eventful minutes, the sides could not be separated.

Phil Neville scores fo Everton

A 2-2 draw was the outcome - a result which is better for Everton than Martin O'Neill's men as it maintains the Blues' three point advantage with just two matches of the campaign remaining.

But had it not been for a Gabriel Agbonlahor goal in the 80th minute and then a John Carew header five minutes later it would have been the perfect day for Everton, who took the

David Moyes' men led twice in this contest - the goals coming from the unlikely duo of Phil Neville and Joseph Yobo.

But twice the visitors popped up to equalise - the last 11 minutes providing three of the goals as the tension and drama mounted up at Goodison.

Ultimately, there was a feeling of an opportunity missed here. But the reality is that, with Portsmouth defeated by Blackburn earlier in the day, Everton made headway in the race for the finish.