A 2-2 draw leaves both clubs still battling for fifth place, with Everton three points clear with each side having two games left.

And Villa boss Martin O'Neill praised his side's remarkable fightback from twice being a goal down.

Everton went ahead through a deflected Phil Neville strike, before Gabriel Agbonlahor equalised. Joseph Yobo saw the Toffees ahead again before a last-ditch equaliser from John Carew.

And after the dramatic conclusion, O'Neill said: "To be still in it with two games to go is pretty remarkable for us.

"Now we have two difficult games. Everton's programme is also tough.

"But my view is that if you are three points clear with two games to go then you are in the sort of position I would like to be in.

"Of course it is going to be tough. We have Wigan playing with renewed vigour, and we must then go to West Ham while Everton finish at home to Newcastle.

"We had to fight back twice in the second period from a goal down, and I felt it was a brilliant effort by our team."

He added: "We have scored a lot of goals this season, mostly through very good play. And in this one we showed great determination to stay alive, and that was particularly pleasing.

"Considering the amount of tactical changes we made, I felt the players adapted very well. We made changes, throwing on attacking players. What was the point in not doing that.

"The lads had firepower and creativity, and we got one equaliser with a lot of forwards on the pitch.

"Then we went behind again and we had to change tactics almost with each attack in those final minutes. But we coped and we deserved something from the game.

"In the last couple of minutes it was the only time I felt we might lose it, but having fought back twice that would have been really harsh on us."

Everton boss David Moyes was obviously disappointed to see his side lose the lead twice.

He told Sky Sports 1: "I thought it was a good game, a really good encounter. I'm disappointed we didn't take the three points, especially after we got the second goal. That was disappointing, you're always at your most vulnerable when you score, so they say, and that was the case today.

"I thought when we got the goals we were doing well with good momentum. I'm just disappointed we couldn't hang on to it.

"We are three points ahead [of sixth-placed Villa] with two games to go and games are hard at any time of the season. But it's a good point, a hard point. I thought if we had got three today we could have secured fifth place but it looks like it is going to go all the way."