Neville believes Everton have to show the killer touch demonstrated by the top four on a regular basis if they are to become serious contenders.

Villa looked dead and buried when trailing 3-1 in the second half but cut the deficit within two minutes through a James Milner free-kick.

Then Villa skipper Gareth Barry levelled matters with a controversial penalty after Joleon Lescott appeared to accidentally catch Stiliyan Petrov in the face when trying to clear the ball.

Neville said: “At 3-1, we should have seen out the game with the energy we were showing and the quality we were showing.

“To concede a goal straight after going 3-1 up, when we hadn’t even stopped celebrating, was disappointing.

“That got Villa right back into the game and from then on it was a case of could we see out the game – and we couldn’t.

“The next step for us at 3-1 was either to see out the game, similar to what Chelsea did against Liverpool in the Champions League the other night, and make sure there was no way back.

“That’s what the top four sides do and that is the level we need to get to.

“If you don’t leave it at 3-1, you go on and get the fourth goal and really kill the game off. That is the next step for us and that is what the manager is stressing.”