Everton Faces Newcastle in Carabao Cup Without Jack Grealish
Everton hosts Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium for the fourth round of the EFL Cup while dealing with a disciplinary absence.
Everton is set to lock horns with Newcastle United in a fourth-round Carabao Cup clash at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Both teams enter the match looking to establish momentum after navigating mixed runs of form in recent weeks.
David Moyes' squad enters the contest seeking to rebound from a difficult stretch. The Toffees are winless in their last three matches, having suffered consecutive 2-0 defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal. Furthermore, Everton has failed to find the back of the net in either of those two outings, though playing at home provides a welcomed advantage as they aim to return to winning ways.
Compounding Everton's preparations, midfielder Jack Grealish will miss the matchup due to a breach of club discipline. The Toffees left the 31-year-old player out of their matchday squad for the round of 16 encounter, opting not to publicly detail the specific rule violated in their official social media announcement.
According to reports from The Times, the disciplinary action stems from an unauthorized absence from training. Grealish joined Everton on loan from Manchester City before the start of the season, marking his second consecutive campaign on loan with the club after making 20 league appearances last year.
On the opposing side, Newcastle United arrives under the leadership of Matthias Jaissle following an inconsistent period. After dropping two consecutive games, the Magpies bounced back with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League, with winger Harvey Barnes among the goal scorers.
While Newcastle will be keen to extend their winning streak, playing away from home presents a notable challenge. The Magpies will need to control the pace of the Carabao Cup fixture against the Toffees from the opening whistle.
Key players to watch include 19-year-old Harrison Armstrong for Everton, who registered a team-high 16 defensive contributions during the recent loss to Arsenal. For Newcastle, Barnes is expected to feature heavily on the left flank to pressure the opponent's defense.