Rayan Ait-Nouri playing for Manchester City.
Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images
Hayden Hackney battles for the ball for Everton.
Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Arsenal FC v Everton - Premier League 2026/27
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Charly Alcaraz playing for Everton.
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Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Everton celebrates his goal to make it 1-1 during the Premier League match between Hull City and Everton at MKM Stadium in Hull, United Kingdom, on October 11, 2026.
Atletico de Madrid v Manchester United - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD2
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Marcus Rashford playing for Manchester United.
M. Rashford
Manchester United – Premier League (2026 – 2027)
Appearances 6
Average Rating 5.60
Shots on Target 4
Goals 0
Assists 0
Duels Won 23
Successful Dribbles 8
Marcus Rashford playing for Manchester United.
Nicolo Tresoldi playing for Club Brugge.
Photo by KURT DESPLENTER / BELGA MAG / Belga / AFP via Getty Images
Credit: Getty Images/James Gill – Danehouse/Gary Oakley – Everton FC/Everton FC
Everton duo must start Carabao clash after shining vs Jaissle’s Newcastle in pre-season
Harrison Armstrong playing for Everton.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Everton return to Carabao Cup action on Thursday, and a couple of players are bound to be in David Moyes’ thinking after they made impressions in the pre-season friendly.
The Toffees were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal in the Premier League at the weekend and there is still some disappointment about that performance and result. But it was always going to be tricky to get something at the Emirates, and it won’t define Everton’s campaign.
Focus will now shift to the cup game on Thursday, and Everton have Newcastle at Hill Dickinson Stadium in the fourth round.
The likelihood is that David Moyes will ring the changes, with people like Tyler Dibling hoping for a chance. He excelled in the last round against Wolves.
It’ll certainly be interesting to see who Moyes looks to in midfield – and Hayden Hackney and Harrison Armstrong feel like sensible picks.
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Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Everton celebrates his goal to make it 1-1 during the Premier League match between Hull City and Everton at MKM Stadium in Hull, United Kingdom, on October 11, 2026.
Yea, cause now they will have form going in
🤣🤣
Hayden Hackney and Harrison Armstrong have already shone vs Jaissle’s Newcastle
Everton and Newcastle last met only a few months ago, as they played a friendly in pre-season up at Murrayfield.
The Toffees ran out 3-1 winners that day, with goals being scored by Thierno Barry, Iliman Ndiaye and Tyrique George. Harvey Barnes scored a late consolation for the Toon.
Of course, it was mostly about getting minutes into legs, and both David Moyes and Matthias Jaissle made a lot of changes in the game to get a look at all their players.
But there were a couple of standouts for Everton.
With James Garner recovering from groin surgery and Christian Norgaard also still injured, Moyes deployed Hayden Hackney and Harrison Armstrong as a midfield two, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as a number 10. And Hackney and Armstrong both did really well.
As per Sky Sports’ write-up of the game, Hackney looked in ‘excellent nick’ and he was constantly looking to feed the players ahead of him.
Armstrong actually got two assists in the game. The first came after Thierno Barry won a 50-50 in the middle of the pitch and surged forward. After being held up by a challenge, Armstrong kept the ball alive and found the Frenchman to his left for the finish.
In the second-half, Armstrong made a great run into the box to collect a ball from George. He held it up and then found George, who produced a stunning finish after a great swivel.
Armstrong showed good attacking intent in the game, which may well be something he looks to do on Thursday. He hasn’t actually provided any goals or assists yet in the Premier League for Everton, but the pre-season meeting showed he can be capable.
James Garner may need to be rotated, having struggled to show the form he did last season and this cup game is a good opportunity to do that.
Hackney is Everton’s best player when it comes to breaking lines, and with Everton having lacked ingenuity and creativity, this would surely be most welcome against Newcastle.