London  - Liverpool's title challenge suffered a serious blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw Monday by Everton.

Tim Cahill glanced in the equalizer with four minutes remaining to cancel out Steven Gerrard's opener, which fell midway through the second half.

The draw leaves Liverpool second in the table, level on points with Manchester United, who have a superior goal-difference and a game in hand.

It was the fourth game out of their last five at home that Liverpool have drawn, and it is that inability to break down dogged opponents that is costing Rafa Benitez's side.

For the first three quarters of the game, it had typically harum- scarum Merseyside derby, high on effort and short on coherence.

The best chance of the first half had fallen to Fernando Torres, who showed great strength latching onto Sami Hyypia's through-ball only to strike the post as he dinked his shot over Tim Howard.

Albert Riera fizzed a shot just wide, but in terms of clear opportunities, Liverpool were matched by Everton.

An early Victor Anichebe shot was well-saved low to his left by Pepe Reina, and the keeper did even better springing the other way to push away Tim Cahill's downward header.

Gradually, though, Liverpool began to take control of possession, if not chances.

Hyypia shovelled a rebound wide after Marek Skrtel's shot was blocked by Howard, and Torres might have had a penalty, but there was little sense of inevitability about Liverpool's winner.

Their performance, in fact, was worryingly reminiscent of their display at Stoke City in their previous league game, when they enjoyed most of the ball without ever really looking like scoring.

When the opener finally came, it followed immediately on Everton's appeals for a penalty as Anichebe, having dispossessed Xabi Alonso, was bundled over in the box by Skrtel.

Liverpool broke, and Gerrard, who will appear Friday in court over an incident in a Southport club, drove home from 30 yards.

Everton, though, rallied, and when Yossi Benayoun's clumsy challenge on Anichebe earned his side a free-kick on the left side of the box, they stole a point.

Cahill has become known as the Invisible Man for his ability to escape the attentions of defenders, and he showed just why as he darted to glance in Mikel Arteta's delivery. (dpa)