3 takeaways from Everton's stalemate with Liverpool

Everton and Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw in an even contest at Goodison Park.

Defensive mishaps led to both goals: Danny Ings nodded in unmarked from a corner for the away side, and Romelu Lukaku pounced on a failed defensive clearance to level things toward the end of the first half.

Here are the three biggest takeaways:

Romelu Lukaku is realising his potential

Jose Mourinho, here's what you could've had.

Romelu Lukaku was a precocious talent, leading the Belgian Pro League in scoring at the age of 16 and earning a £20-million move to Chelsea in 2011. After a year and just one start at Stamford Bridge, the forward showed his frightening potential in two free-scoring loan spells at West Bromwich Albion and Everton.

Then, strangely, the Blues let the latter buy him.

His current wealth of confidence was typified in the 52nd minute, when the 22-year-old tamed a long ball with a delicious first touch before toying with Emre Can. His athleticism is phenomenal and, when in the mood, he's second only to Sergio Aguero as the Premier League's best striker.

Simon Mignolet shows some worth

Since Simon Mignolet signed from Sunderland in 2013 his Anfield career has been littered with costly errors, and his belief was shattered after he dropped during last season's festive fixtures.

The question marks remained this term, especially when his flapped cross against Norwich City - reminiscent of a dizzy, blindfolded grandmother attacking a pinata - gifted Russell Martin a goal last month.

In this tense game, however, he justified his manager's trust. He made a fine save from a James McCarthy crack, but most impressive was his denial of Everton's tireless forward Steven Naismith.

The Scot somehow went undetected on a Ross Barkley free-kick and powered a header on goal from the penalty spot. Mignolet's strong left palm pushed the effort over the bar, sparing his defenders' blushes and keeping the result at 0-0.

Emre Can may cope better in a back four

It wasn't just Lukaku making the German midfielder look awkward as he also tripped himself up.

Gerard Deulofeu delivered a dangerous, dipping cross in the lead-up to Lukaku's strike, but it went straight to the feet of Can. Instead of hoofing the ball from danger, the former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder inexplicably hammered it low across the six-yard box, where it went under his defensive colleague Martin Skrtel and into the path of Lukaku. Equaliser scored.

Perhaps it's his manager Brendan Rodger's fault. In playing Nathaniel Clyne and Alberto Moreno in such advanced positions, Liverpool again fielded a back three. With Liverpool's injury problems in defence, it should consider a return to the familiarity and simplicity of a flat four, especially when players aren't particularly comfortable back there.