Aston Villa twice came from behind to earn a thrilling 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park and keep the race for fifth well and truly alive.Villa went into Sunday's Premier League clash knowing victory would see them leapfrog their hosts into fifth place, while Everton knew a win for them would effectively secure a UEFA Cup spot with two games to go.

However there is everything still to play over the last two weekends, with the gap between the two sides remaining three points.

It looked for a long time as if Phil Neville's deflected 56th-minute strike would hand the Toffees glory but three goals in the final 10 minutes eventually saw Villa grab a point.

Gabriel Agbonlahor drew them level with 10 minutes to go but Joseph Yobo's 84th-minute goal again looked to have ended the visitors' hopes. However, John Carew levelled for a second time within a minute to keep Martin O'Neill's side in the hunt.

Villa threatened first through long-range efforts from Gareth Barry and Carew but the best chance fell to Everton in the 18th minute when Scott Carson could only parry Yakubu's shot into the path of Manuel Fernandes, who mishit the rebound badly wide.

Ashley Young came the closest to breaking the deadlock with a delightful curling free-kick that struck the bar on the half-hour mark, while Andrew Johnson failed to find a team-mate at the other end after breaking into the box just before half-time.

Everton upped the tempo at the start of the second period and they were rewarded 11 minutes in. Yakubu's powerful run sent him past Zat Knight and into the box and although his low cross was meant for one of two team-mates homing in on goal, it sat up nicely for Neville, whose 25-yard effort deflected off Martin Laursen and past a stranded Carson.

Villa pushed hard for an equaliser but it did not arrive until 10 minutes from time when Barry's corner evaded everyone except Agbonlahor, who nipped in ahead of Leon Osman to finish well from six yards.

However parity lasted just four minutes for the visitors as Lee Carsley's superb first-time cross from the angle of the box was brilliantly volleyed home by Yobo.

Lesser teams would have rolled over from there but Villa were remarkably level for a second time within just 30 seconds. It was Barry providing a good ball into the box this time and Carew did not pass up the opportunity, heading low into the far corner from six yards.

Everton pressed for a winner in the dying moments but they were left frustrated and must now realistically get something from Arsenal next Sunday with Villa hosting Wigan the day before.

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