A look at the changes David Moyes could make to his starting line-up for Thursday's big Carabao Cup fourth-round tie at home to Newcastle United
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Everton manager David Moyes during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Everton at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Silvina Brodersohn - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Everton manager David Moyes, pictured during Saturday's defeat at Arsenal, currently has just 15 fit and available senior outfield players (Image: Silvina Brodersohn - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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After tough back-to-back Premier League 2-0 defeats, at home to Chelsea and away to Arsenal, Everton have no time to feel sorry for themselves. They simply have to pick themselves up and go again given the magnitude of their next match.
The Blues welcome top-flight rivals Newcastle United to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday for a huge Carabao Cup fourth-round tie.
It is coming up to 31 years since Everton last won a trophy and while beating Newcastle would not guarantee that long wait ending this season, given the calibre of the clubs likely still to be left in the competition, it would allow their long-suffering supporters to dream.
And the Blues are going to need their supporters on Thursday after manager David Moyes' paper-thin squad was hit by a new blow.
READ MORE: Merlin Rohl identifies Everton solution as David Moyes faces Newcastle selection issues
Jarrad Branthwaite and Jack Grealish missed Saturday's loss at Arsenal, through concussion and illness respectively, and after the action got under way, Vitalii Mykolenko joined them on the sidelines after sustaining a second-half knock.
That's the last thing Moyes needs with such a big cup tie coming up and given his side are in the middle of a hectic run of fixtures before the international break.
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Should Branthwaite and Mykolenko be ruled out against Newcastle, Everton's defensive options are incredibly limited. Midfielders James Garner and Merlin Rohl could deputise at full-backs, as they ended up doing against Arsenal, while Jake O’Brien could move from the centre to the right, with Michael Keane coming into the heart of the backline.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles, meanwhile, having been left out against the Gunners, his former club, could return at either right-back or left-back. But it would all look very makeshift back there.
Should Garner and Rohl start at full-back, that would open the door to Hayden Hackney starting in midfield alongside Harrison Armstrong and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Moyes would like to call on Christian Norgaard but his cameo against Chelsea the weekend before last suggests the summer signing needs to be eased in rather than thrown in.
Even if Grealish remains sidelined, Moyes does have options on the wing. Tyrique George was one of the few bright sparks against Arsenal and is almost certain to start on Thursday but Brennan Johnson struggled and must be coming under pressure for his place from Tyler Dibling.
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 24: Everton's Tyrique George under pressure from Arsenal's Martin Odegaard during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Everton at Emirates Stadium on October 24, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Silvina Brodersohn - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Tyrique George was lively for Everton in their defeat to Arsenal (Image: Silvina Brodersohn - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Thierno Barry is the club's sole first-team centre-forward - with Mykolenko and Maitland-Niles being the squad's only true options at left-back and right-back respectively - but there appears little chance of him getting a breather against Newcastle, although Charly Alcaraz could be an alternative up front, as could Johnson.
But whatever team he goes with, Moyes, as it stands, has just 15 senior outfield players fit and available, which hammers home just how bad an end to the transfer window it was under owners The Friedkin Group, who soon after made it clear they would be willing to sell the club less than two years after buying it.
Potential team v Newcastle if Branthwaite, Mykolenko and Grealish miss out: Pickford; Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, O'Brien, Garner; Armstrong, Hackney; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.