Darren Bent scored twice as Villa were held to a draw by Everton to ease the pressure on boss Gerard Houllier.

Leon Osman gave Everton the lead in the 38th minute after a dull opening period, but the game came alive after the interval when Bent equalised two minutes after the restart.

The England striker then doubled his tally for the afternoon, by slotting home in the 68th minute after latching on to a long ball from Ashley Young.

But the points were shared when Leighton Baines levelled from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute, after Jean Makoun had brought down Phil Jagielka.

Houllier recalled defensive duo Richard Dunne and James Collins to the starting line-up for the first time since they were controversially involved in a bust up with club staff on a club team-bonding exercise at a spa.

Luke Young came into the side at left-back while Gabby Agbonlahor started alongside Darren Bent in attack, as Villa switched to a 4-4-2 system against an Everton side depleted by injuries.

After a subdued start, Stewart Downing went on a mazy dribble from the right flank but saw his shot blocked by John Heitinga.

Everton had a great chance to break the deadlock in the ninth minute when Jermaine Beckford latched on to Kyle Walker’s weak header, but Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel made a superb one-handed diving save to left to push his low shot wide.

Villa then went close in the 30th minute when Downing’s corner from the right was headed back across goal by Dunne, but Nigel Reo-Coker was denied by Phil Neville’s last-ditch block.

A defensive lapse allowed Everton to open the scoring eight minutes later, as Kyle Walker had his pocket picked by Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, who played the ball to Osman.

The Everton midfielder ran towards goal then twisted and turned his way past Collins and Dunne inside the left edge of the penalty area, before a low finish beat the dive of Friedel to crawl over the line.

But Villa caught Everton napping immediately after the half-time break to pull level with a superb finish from Bent.

Downing broke clear down the right flank and Baines opted to stay on his feet rather than challenge for the ball, with the Villa winger picking out Bent who swept the ball past goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Villa went close again moments later when a Downing free-kick from the left was fired into the box, but Walker could only direct the ball over the bar from close range.

Beckford thought he had regained the lead for Everton in the 67th minute, crashing a shot from just inside the area which bounced of the underside of the bar and out.

Everton’s players felt the ball had crossed the line but television replays proved inconclusive and referee Mike Jones waved away their protests.

Villa then grabbed the lead when Friedel’s long goal kick bounced into the feet of Ashley Young, who lofted the ball over the top of the Everton defence for Bent to run on to.

The £24million striker drew out the outrushing Howard and then calmly slotted the ball into the corner of the net from inside the penalty area to send the away fans into raptures.

But Everton refused to lie down and equalised from the penalty spot seven minutes from time, when Makoun clipped the heels of Jagielka just inside the box.

Baines stepped up to take the spot-kick and made no mistake, blasting a low shot past Friedel and into the net to ensure the points were shared.