Everton secured a victory against Newcastle in the fourth round of the EFL Cup at Hill Dickinson Stadium following an unsettling build-up involving Jack Grealish. Grealish was dropped from the squad due to what is understood to be an unauthorized absence from training, threatening preparations for a competition offering Everton a shot at their first trophy in 31 years.
Hayden Hackney Shines in Midfield
Instead of the pre-match drama dominating the fixture, the club’s younger players stepped forward, spearheaded by Hayden Hackney. The 24-year-old summer signing from Middlesbrough for £16.5m assisted James Garner’s opening goal and scored Everton’s second with a close-range volley against a strong Newcastle XI.
Manager David Moyes offered a measured assessment of the midfielder’s performance after the match, noting that while getting a goal was great and there were very good parts to his game, he also got caught on the ball a couple of times as he adapts from the Championship to the Premier League.
Youth Integration Across the Squad
Everton’s threadbare squad has made the contribution of younger players crucial this season, with seven of the 10 permanent signings since January 2025 aged 24 or under. France Under-21 international Thierno Barry, signed from Villarreal in July 2025, has started every match as the club’s only specialist centre-forward, scoring seven goals and contributing heavily to the team’s big chances.
Broadly speaking, Moyes has shown an increased willingness to trust younger members of the squad. The average age of Everton’s starting line-up in the Premier League has decreased by almost 18 months to 26 years and 216 days, while players aged 21 or under have already surpassed last season’s total minutes.
Nineteen-year-old Harrison Armstrong has started every Premier League match this season, and 20-year-old winger Tyler Dibling provided a positive attacking threat against Newcastle. Tyrique George, 20, has made five league starts this year and scored his first goal against Manchester United in September, while 24-year-old Merlin Rohl has been trusted to fill the right-back position.
While senior players like 33-year-old defender James Tarkowski, Jordan Pickford, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remain critical, Everton’s younger generation has proven capable of delivering results.
When Everton face Newcastle again in the Premier League on Monday, Grealish may remain absent from the squad, leaving the younger players with another opportunity to demonstrate their growing influence.
