Ross Barkley scored a dramatic late equaliser as Everton salvaged a 2-2 Premier League draw against struggling Hull City at the KCOM Stadium.
Robert Snodgrass' impressive free-kick with 25 minutes remaining looked like it would be enough to give Hull a much-needed victory, but Barkley headed in to give the visitors a point from an enthralling clash.
Captain Michael Dawson had given the Tigers the lead with a low strike in the sixth minute, but Everton responded well with Seamus Coleman hitting the post before home goalkeeper David Marshall scored an own goal.
Marshall atoned for his error by tipping Romelu Lukaku's shot onto the crossbar after the break, while Snodgrass also hit the woodwork with a free-kick at the other end before going one better with another set-piece.
But, it was not enough to secure the points for Mike Phelan's side, with the recalled Barkley levelling before Everton substitute Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered a glorious chance to win it.
The result means Hull has now won only one of its last 17 top-flight matches, but it is off the foot of the table.
Everton, meanwhile, stays seventh but move to within six points of Manchester United above them.
The home side made a bright start as Snodgrass sent a curling effort narrowly wide, before he played a part in the opener.
His corner was headed on by Curtis Davies and impressively dispatched by Dawson at the far post.
Everton made a strong initial response, with Kevin Mirallas' deflected shot saved by Marshall and Coleman heading against the post from Gareth Barry's cross.
Barkley – in as one of three Everton changes – and Barry both fired just off target as the visitors continued to press.
And the leveller arrived in bizarre fashion in first-half stoppage-time when Mirallas' corner was punched into his own net by Marshall.
The Toffees almost completed the turnaround after the break as Lukaku collected Mirallas' pass and saw his deflected strike brilliantly tipped on to the bar by Marshall.
Barkley produced a tame finish after Lukaku's flick-on had helped him race clear before it was Hull's turn to strike the frame of the goal when Snodgrass' curling set-piece bounced off the bar from just outside the area.
An entertaining game continued with Everton keeper Joel Robles saving from Dawson, before Snodgrass went one better with another dead-ball effort.
After Harry Maguire had been fouled by Leighton Baines, Robles was unable to keep out Snodgrass' superb strike from 25 yards – his sixth league goal of the season.
Everton pushed hard for a way back into the contest and it arrived with only six minutes left on the clock – just as Hull appeared to be inching towards victory.
Barkley was poorly marked by the home defence and firmly headed in from Baines' left-wing cross, much to the relief of Ronald Koeman, though it could have been even better had Calvert-Lewin not missed the target from Coleman's last-gasp cross.
Key Opta Facts:
- Hull City has registered only one win in its last 17 Premier League games (D4 L12).
- The Tigers have now gone 21 matches without a clean sheet in all competitions – their worst run since January 1991 (22 games).
- Robert Snodgrass has been involved in 50 per cent of Hull's Premier League goals this season (six goals, two assists).
- No Premier League player has scored more direct free-kick goals this season than Snodgrass (2, level with Xherdan Shaqiri).
- No Premier League side this season has scored more headed goals than Everton (9), with Ross Barkley the fifth different Toffees player to score one (after Gareth Barry, Romelu Lukaku, Seamus Coleman and Ashley Williams).
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