The former Manchester United man fed Anichebe inside the area, and the Nigeria forward - making only his third start since his return from long-term injury - turned Liam Ridgewell to blast an unstoppable shot past Birmingham keeper Joe Hart.

Only moments earlier Hart had reacted superbly to keep out a low, curling effort from Pienaar, but within three minutes the England man was beaten again.

Arteta found Pienaar on the right, and the South Africa midfielder eluded Lee Bowyer to stand up a cross for Yakubu, who shrugged off a challenge from Roger Johnson to head in from point-blank range.

But four minutes later Birmingham regained a foothold in the game.

Ridgewell knocked Scott Dann's lobbed pass to Fahey, whose left-flank cross into the danger area was guided home on the turn by Jerome.

The former Cardiff striker’s third goal in two games was the perfect response to McLeish's pre-match suggestion that Birmingham's European fate would be determined by their shot-shy attack.

And Jerome was again vital when Birmingham equalised six minutes after the break, rising to flick a Hart goal-kick to Gardner, who blasted a low drive beyond the sprawling Tim Howard.

The game could have gone either way in its dying stages, Birmingham sporadically on the break, while Everton - who were denied three optimistic handball appeals after the break - spurned a chance to claim maximum points when Cahill, breaking through on goal, fired tamely at Harte.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville (Capt), Distin, Jagielka, Baines, Cahill (Rodwell, 75), Arteta, Pienaar, Heitinga, Yakubu (Donovan,67 ), Anichebe (Gosling, 79).

Attendance: 24,579 Subs: Nash, Hibbert, Yobo, Bilyaletdinov.

BIRMINGHM: Harte, Carr, Bowyer, Ridgewell, Dann, Ferguson, Benitez (McFadden), Johnson, Jermome, Fahey, Gardner (Larsson, 58).

Subs: Taylor, Philips, Michel, Queudrue, Tainio

Ref: Lee Probert