Robin van Persie rescued disappointing Arsenal from what would have been a damaging defeat with an injury-time equaliser.
In the end both these sides stretched unbeaten runs to nine matches - but Everton will wonder how they let victory slip from their grasp.
The hosts had emerged from a poor start to dominate the game, and were deservedly ahead through Tim Cahill's 100th career goal on the hour.
Everton grew in confidence from then on, but with seconds ticking away, Van Persie - Arsenal's best player - stole in behind the defence to lash home an angled drive for a draw.
Arsenal desperately needed something from this game with a fourth place finish looking in serious danger as Aston Villa continued their march into the top four last night.
Everton had record signing Marouane Fellaini back from a two-match suspension, while fellow midfielder Mikel Arteta had recovered from the rib injury which kept him out of Sunday's FA Cup draw at Liverpool.
Arsenal made six changes from the side that drew in the Cup at Cardiff, with Manuel Almunia returning in goal and defenders William Gallas and Gael Clichy back from injury and suspension respectively.
Fog was swirling around Goodison Park at the start, and Everton saw little of the ball in the opening spell - due to Arsenal's neat passing and possession.
But the nearest the visitors came to an opening goal was Van Persie's 20-yard free-kick which was deflected wide when it looked to be heading into the top corner.
Everton finally responded with a Cahill header wide from a corner, and an effort from the same player at full-stretch which ended in the arms of Almunia.
It took a lunging block from Gallas to stop Fellaini reaching a near-post cross from Leighton Baines, after Steven Pienaar had played him in down the left.
Arsenal still had the edge but Arteta and Pienaar started to have an influence on the game, nether afraid to run at defenders.
Pienaar was cut down by Abou Diaby after 26 minutes, the Arsenal man receiving a yellow card from referee Andre Marriner.
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Samir Nasri's 33rd-minute cross from the left created an opportunity for Van Persie - but the Dutchman was stretching and could only hit the ball down into the ground and up over the bar.
Nasri was booked three minutes later for kicking Tony Hibbert's ankles as the full-back ran away from him, the half failing to produce a single shot on target.
The second period opened with more swirling fog as both sides fought to break the deadlock.
Cahill had a close-range shot charged down in the box, while Van Persie set-up Denilson at the other end, only for the Brazilian to lift his shot high over the bar.
Cahill was coming to life, and a quick turn in the box onto an Arteta pass ended with the Australian firing a fierce drive into the side-netting.
After 61 minutes the Australian put Everton ahead - Baines crossing from the left and Cahill climbing above Clichy to power a downward headed past Almunia.
Cahill has now installed himself as Everton's top scorer this season since being moved into attack as a makeshift centre-forward due to Everton's chronic injury problems in that department.
The Gunners responded with a strong Van Persie header which provided Tim Howard with his first save of the night.
Arteta was booked for a foul on Denilson before the north Londoners made a double substitution after 73 minutes, with Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Eboue replacing Alexandre Song and Bacary Sagna.
Tony Hibbert was booked for a foul on Nasri after 76 minutes, with Everton going forward with confidence in search of a second goal.
Cahill limped away with an ankle injury to a rousing ovation with four minutes left - Victor Anichebe taking over.
The victory looked assured, but in injury-time Van Persie got on the end of a long ball from Diaby and blasted an undeserved equaliser past Howard.
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