STEVEN PIENAAR grabbed a late equaliser to blow the title race wide open once again.
With the Manchester derby still to come, United knew three points at Old Trafford would move them a massive step closer to Premier League glory.
But the Theatre of Dreams fell silent in the 33rd minute when Nickia Jelavic broke the deadlock after losing marker Rafael to send a looping header into the net.
Wayne Rooney levelled matters with his own nodded effort four minutes before the break and Danny Welbeck’s stunning curler gave the hosts the lead for the first time in the second half.
Nani put the champions 3-1 ahead on the hour mark but the Toffees refused to roll over.
Marouane Fellaini, who impressed throughout the game, swept home a fine volley from Tony Hibbert’s cross to cut the arrears in the 67th minute.
United stepped up through the gears once again and responded with another Rooney goal to restore their two-goal advantage.
The strike moved Roo to 180 in all competitions and above Red Devils legend George Best in the club’s list of all-time scorers.
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But Jelavic upstaged the England man with his second of the afternoon seven minutes from time to ensure a tense finale.
David Moyes threw on Tim Cahill as the visitors searched for an equaliser, which came in the 85th minute.
Fellaini twisted and turned inside the box before teeing up Pienaar to slot home and level matters.
United pushed hard for a late winner and Rio Ferdinand was denied by a stunning save from Tim Howard in the dying seconds as Everton held on for a deserved point.
Everton started in determined fashion and Jelavic was denied by David de Gea after springing the United backline.
Leon Osman had a couple of opportunities, Sylvain Distin guided a header wide and Darron Gibson flashed a thunderbolt just off target.
United were reeling and feel behind Hibbert crossed deep from the touchline.
Jelavic won the aerial duel with Rafael at the far post, lifting his header over De Gea and just inside the goal.
It was the £5.5million man’s seventh Everton goal and his sixth in six games, emphasising his status as one of the bargain buys of the season.
A wave of anxiety swept around Old Trafford as United fans feared another sizeable chunk was in danger of being carved off what, just a fortnight ago, seemed a lead title rivals Manchester City would be unable to overhaul.
After Rafael’s appeal for a penalty was turned down by ref Mike Jones, the hosts realised they needed to find a way back into the game as quickly as possible.
And, restored to the starting line-up after a nine-match absence, Nani was the man who provided it.
The Portugal winger curled over a brilliant cross from the left which dropped just over Phil Neville and perfectly for Rooney to head home.
United needed maximum points to turn up the heat on City and Welbeck put them ahead after 57 minutes.
Everton complained that Pienaar was down and in pain when the hosts went in front.
But they had chances to to clear their lines before Nani outjumped Neville to nod down for Welbeck.
After side-stepping John Heitinga’s rash challenge, the England striker calmly curled a superb shot into the top corner.
The United faithful had not stopped celebrating when Welbeck fed Nani, whose chip sailed over Howard and bounced into the empty net to make it 3-1.
It should have been all over and still seemed that way despite Fellaini smashing home a brilliant volley before Rooney struck again in the 69th minute.
In truth, the drama was only just starting. With the clock ticking down, Jelavic capitalised on unusual hesitancy inside the United penalty area and drove a precise shot into the bottom corner.
Even then, what happened afterwards came with jaw-dropping surprise.
Fellaini created space for himself inside the penalty area before sliding a pass through to an unmarked Pienaar, who planted a first-time shot beyond De Gea.
The bedlam of earlier had been replaced by a different kind of mayhem as United tried to get a grip on the calamity that had just unfolded.
Phil Jones and Javier Hernandez were thrown on in a desperate attempt to salvage the situation.
But even in five heart-stopping minutes of injury-time there was to be no final twist.
