Everton vs. Aston Villa

John Carew needed little over a minute to make his mark after coming on as a half-time substitute for Aston Villa at Everton.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov put the Toffees ahead on the stroke of half-time but Carew netted a swift reply to earn Villa a 1-1 draw.

Everton welcomed Leighton Baines, Bilyaletdinov and Joseph Yobo back from injury with Louis Saha and Dan Gosling dropping to the bench and Tony Hibbert missing out altogether. Meanwhile Aston Villa brought in Emile Heskey, after his much publicized plea for first team action, for Carew who was on the bench.

Everton and Villa had matched each other all the way until the final weeks of last season in the race for fifth place in the table and there was little to divide the two teams in the opening stages.

Sidwell wasted the first real opportunity of the game in the fifth minute, misdirecting his header across Tim Howard's goal after Ashley Young's cross had picked him out.

Minutes later Ayegbeni Yakubu sent a cross into the Villa box which looked like it might dip under the bar, but the ever-reliable Friedel was on hand to tip it over.

However, on the brink of half-time it was the home side who took the lead. A cross from Tim Cahill was brought down by Yakubu, but the Villa defence failed to clear it decisively and it fell to Bilyaletdinov who finished decisively from inside the box.

The goal got Goodison rocking, but just as it appeared as if Everton might be putting their recent woes behind them, Villa levelled.

O'Neill responded at half-time, introducing Carew for Milner, and two minutes later it immediately reaped rewards. Warnock burst down the left and his cross found Gabriel Agbonlahor in the area. His effort was saved by Howard but the rebound fell to Carew who made no mistake.

Moyes' team looked rattled and, after Cahill had been booked for a rash challenge on Young, Stiliyan Petrov almost put Villa ahead from distance but his effort was deflected.

With 20 minutes remaining, Saha was introduced for Everton in place of Fellaini to provide some fresh attacking impetus, as both sides went in search of the winner.

Cahill might have sealed it with six minutes left when he met Baines' cross in the box, but the Australian connected as much with Warnock's head as he did the ball, and Saha then controlled the ball on the edge of the area but sliced his effort wide.

Yet as the game headed towards full-time there was little in the way of match-winning opportunities, but then referee Lee Probert ensured an edgy last five minutes for both sides by sending off Bilyaletdinov for a professional foul on Petrov and Cuellar after a challenge on Yakubu.

But neither team was able to force the advantage, as the honours ended even following an evenly contested match.