Everton dented Liverpool's ambitions of catching Chelsea as they held The Reds to a 0-0 draw in the 205th Merseyside derby.
Rafa Benitez's side dominated possession and enjoyed the greater share of the chances on home turf, but their inability to break down Everton's backline saw them pass up the chance to move to within two points of Jose Mourinho's second-placed side.
Everton had been delighted to welcome Andy Johnson back from injury after a miracle recovery, but their success at Anfield was built on a resolute defence which withstood sustained pressure throughout the game.
Although Everton missed out on claiming their first league double over their great rivals for the first time since the 1984/1985 season - following the memorable 3-0 win at Goodison earlier in the campaign - a point against a team boasting a record of nine wins from 10 games was still representative of a superb afternoon's work for the Blue half of Merseyside.
Benitez started with three strikers for the first time at Anfield this season, with Everton adopting a more conventional 4-5-1 formation, and the combination of the two made for a breathless opening.
Both sides of the city could have been celebrating a goal inside ten minutes, as Tony Hibbert almost marked his first appearance since October in style by thundering a shot at Jose Reina after latching onto Leon Osman's low cross in front of the Kop.
Peter Crouch went even closer immediately after, as Liverpool won a free-kick following the first flashpoint of the derby when Tim Cahill cleaned out an angry Jermaine Pennant.
Everton failed to clear the subsequent set-piece and only a fine reaction stop from Tim Howard denied Crouch as the striker acrobatically hooked the ball towards goal.
The Reds' other two forwards combined brilliantly in the left-hand channel soon after, but Craig Bellamy was given offside from Dirk Kuyt's pass before he fired the ball home from a tight angle.
When the Dutchman again teed up his colleague, with a header from Pennant's deep cross, Bellamy only had to get his head to the ball to beat Howard but somehow managed to fail to connect at all.
As the mist rolled in from the Mersey, reducing visibility somewhat, Everton looked keen to ensure that the final destination of the three points was far from transparent as Mikel Arteta's free-kick was blocked before Leon Osman saw a header from Johnson's cross claimed by Reina.
Moyes' men were well-organised and what was always a high energy affair began to suffer from a lack of quality in the latter stages of the first half, although there was precious little wrong with Xabi Alonso's vicious long range effort that stroked the top of the net.
Kuyt also saw a curling effort smartly saved by Howard as Everton frustrated their in-form local rivals with a tireless display in the first 45 minutes.
Liverpool emerged from the break doubly determined to make the breakthrough and, after Alonso saw another long range effort clasped by Howard, they almost had it when the ball fell to Jamie Carragher at the back post from a set-piece.
The defender lined up a rare shot and hammered a fine effort that was blocked by Phil Neville, suspiciously close to the Everton man's arm.
On the hour mark it was Moyes' men who should have taken the lead though, as Johnson took advantage of some sloppy play at the back to charge through on goal.
After twisting past Carragher in the box, the striker was unable to get his shot away immediately, and after dallying on the ball by the penalty spot he saw his subsequent effort saved by the outstretched legs of Reina.
Osman also powered a header just wide, but soon after normal service was resumed as Steven Gerrard lashed a free-kick inches off-target following a foul by Arteta on John Arne Riise.
The Reds continued to heap pressure on the visitors but Everton's backline refused to buckle, and Lee Carsley exemplified the effort that underpinned Everton's performance with a timely block to deny Kuyt from Bellamy's cross.
The excellent Alan Stubbs also nicked the ball off the toes of the Dutchman just as he was pulling the trigger, and Gerrard's follow-up shot was gratefully clasped by Howard as anther attack failed to bear fruit.
Bentiez threw on Robbie Fowler against the team he supported as a child in the final stages, and the striker soon chested a ball through for Crouch that his attacking colleague could only steer weakly into the hands of Howard.
Liverpool's annoyance was evident when Alonso was guilty of a messy high tackle on substitute Victor Anichebe, although he escaped a caution, and their frustration was complete when the whistle blew for full time.