Blues extended their unbeaten run to nine Premier League matches with a creditable draw against Everton at Goodison Park.

It wasn't exactly a Christmas cracker but once again Alex McLeish's side showed their grit and determination to recover from a poor start and a goal behind to grab another priceless point and take the total tally to 28 going into the festive period.

The Toffees struck an early blow when Diniyar Bilyaletdinov curled his side in front on just six minutes but winger Seb Larsson's clinical response halfway through the first 45 landed the draw.

McLeish named an unchanged starting line-up for the sixth game in a row as Blues looked to keep up their impressive run of form.

Northern Irish midfielder Damien Johnson was the only change to the matchday 18 from the midweek victory over Blackburn, taking a place on the bench instead of James O'Shea.

The home crowd were delighted to see the return from suspension of attacking midfielder Tim Cahill.

Everton pressed early on, enjoying plenty of possession in the opening minutes and took the lead with just over five minutes gone. Bilyaletdinov cut inside the area from the right, tricking his way past Liam Ridgewell and rifled a low left-footed shot past Joe Hart from eight yards before Roger Johnson could get a block in.

Louis Saha had the ball in the back of the net again for the hosts just three minutes later but he was adjudged to be offside having latched onto Bilyaletdinov's low pass through the middle.

Captain Cahill fired an optimistic drive over the bar as Everton poured forward once again, before Chucho tripped Leon Osman some 30 yards from goal and David Moyes' side were awarded a free-kick which Blues defended well.

At this point the visitors were struggling to get the ball off the Merseyside men and both McLeish and first team coach Roy Aitken were out in the technical area urging the team on.

On 20 minutes the home side created another opportunity and if it hadn't been for a brave Johnson block from an Osman piledriver the lead would have doubled, the centre-half reacting quickest to get his body in the way of the rasping low effort.

Then, with 23 played, Blues were back on level terms. Larsson broke through the centre of the park and exchanged passes with Chucho, the Ecuadorian spotting that the Swede had continued his run. Larsson carefully guided the ball past Tim Howard with a low side-footed finish from 14 yards for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Just after the half-hour mark Scott Dann was left hobbling after a foul challenge on the lively Steven Pienaar and took a good few minutes to run off the knock.

Having begun the game well Everton were now looking twitchy and the home crowd were nervous every time Blues launched an attack. That seemed to be having an effect on their defence who began to find it increasingly difficult to clear their lines.

With just four minutes to go to the break Jerome charged into the box in a great attempt to get onto a Larsson pass and only a well timed Tony Hibbert block prevented the frontman from getting on the scoresheet.

And Blues carried on where they had left off at the end of the first half in the second. In a flurry of snow that swirled around Goodison the travelling side were giving their fans plenty to sing about.

On 53, and with the Toffees faithful raising the volume in a bid to rally their side, Baines launched an offensive down the left and swung over a neat cross from the touchline with which a diving Cahill couldn't quite make proper contact at the near post.

Everton fans were screaming for a penalty after Johnson chested the ball down and cleared the danger two yards out on the hour-mark but referee Stuart Attwell was having none of it.

Bowyer turned a Baines cross behind for a corner on 67 before Saha fluffed his lines and rammed a half volley into the side netting when he should have done better.

Irish midfielder Keith Fahey prepared to enter the fray and his moment came soon after when he replaced McFadden, who was warmly applauded by both sets of fans having previously played for Everton.

Pienaar ballooned a curled shot over in a moment that got under the home crowd's skin once again and then, at the other end, Chucho's header deflected behind for a corner.

Larsson was booked on 77 for felling Cahill and from the resulting free-kick Saha headed over Heitinga's cross.

Gregory Vignal replaced Chucho and immediately set about making in-roads down the left, forcing a corner just a minute or so after coming on which Larsson swung over and Johnson came ever so close to nodding home, the ball skimming off his forehead and wide.

Jerome picked up the second yellow card of the game for pushing over Lucas Neill as the game edged towards a draw and a continuation of Blues' excellent recent run of results.

Everton: Tim Howard, Tony Hibbert, Lucas Neill, Johnny Heitinga, Leighton Baines, Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov (Ayegbeni Yakubu 70), Leon Osman (James Vaughan 90), Tim Cahill (C), Louis Saha. Unused subs: Carlo Nash, Seamus Coleman, Kieran Agard, Jose Baxter, Shane Duffy.

Blues: Joe Hart, Stephen Carr (C), Roger Johnson, Scott Dann, Liam Ridgewell, Seb Larsson, Barry Ferguson, Lee Bowyer, James McFadden (Keith Fahey 69), Cameron Jerome, Chucho (Gregory Vignal 82). Unused subs: Maik Taylor, Kevin Phillips, Gary McSheffrey, Damien Johnson, Lee Carsley.

Goals: Bilyaletdinov (6), Larsson (23),

Bookings: Larsson (77), Jerome (86)

Referee: S Attwell

Attendance: 33,660