A look at the Everton players who could be a doubt for Thursday's big Carabao Cup fourth-round clash at home to Newcastle United
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Jack Grealish of Everton during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Everton and Ipswich Town at Hill Dickinson Stadium on September 19, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Gary Oakley - Everton FC/Everton FC via Getty Images)
Jack Grealish missed Everton's 2-0 defeat at Arsenal through illness (Image: Gary Oakley - Everton FC via Getty Images)
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Everton will look to take one step closer to winning a first trophy since 1995 tonight when they take on Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Carabao Cup fourth-round clash (7.45pm kick-off) is the first of the back-to-back games between the sides.
After this evening's tie, the Blues then make the reverse trip to St James' Park to face the Magpies on their home patch in the Premier League on Monday.
But for now Everton's sole concentration is on attempting to book their spot in the quarter-finals of the League Cup, where they will face giantkillers Fleetwood Town if they can get past the Magpies.
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The Blues go into tonight's match on the back of consecutive 2-0 defeats in the Premier League at home to Chelsea and, on Saturday, away to defending champions Arsenal, who then suffered that embarrassing Carabao Cup loss at Fleetwood.
Everton's cause in that encounter against the Gunners was not helped by the fact that they were missing two key first-team players and saw another come off in the second half.
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Jarrad Branthwaite was absent at the Emirates Stadium due to concussion procedure rather than having suffered a new injury.
A series of hamstring issues restricted Branthwaite to just 10 outings last season with the centre-back not making his first appearance of the campaign until coming on as a substitute in the 1-1 home draw against Leeds United on January 26 - and then not featuring again after he was stretchered off in tears in the first Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium on April 19 when Everton conceded a 100th-minute goal to lose 2-1.
Over the summer, the 24-year-old visited the MYOS Sport & Health Clinic in Munich as he looked to cure his fitness woes and he subsequently earned a recall to the England team.
Manager David Moyes revealed Branthwaite had picked up a knock when deputising for Vitalii Mykolenko in the 2-2 draw at Hull City but he remained in the side for the loss to Chelsea.
And it was in that fixture that Branthwaite collided with opposition goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, forcing him out of the action with the Argentinian 2022 World Cup winner going to hospital.
Moyes said after the Arsenal game that he had found out on the Monday, six days earlier, that the Carlisle-born player would not be available.
Everton's English defender #04 Jarrad Branthwaite is checked over after a clash with Chelsea's Argentinian goalkeeper #26 Emiliano Martinez during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on October 17, 2026. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Everton's English defender #04 Jarrad Branthwaite is checked over after a clash with Chelsea's Argentinian goalkeeper #26 Emiliano Martinez during the English Premier League football match between Everton and Chelsea at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on October 17, 2026. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
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Winger Jack Grealish, meanwhile, missed out against the Gunners because of sickness.
There may not be an update on the England pair before the team news is announced at 6.30pm tonight given the Blues did not hold a pre-match press conference to preview tonight's tie. Clubs are not obliged to do that for Carabao Cup contests until the semi-final stage.
The third Everton player who has question marks over his fitness is left-back Mykolenko, who was forced off in the 74th minute against Arsenal with what Moyes said was a suspected calf injury.
Asked how the Ukraine international was, the Blues boss also said after the loss: “Don’t know yet, no. No idea.”
Should Mykolenko, Grealish and Branthwaite be ruled out this evening, that would leave Everton with just 15 senior outfield players to choose from.
Everton boss David Moyes