A look at the changes to the starting 11 that David Moyes could consider for Everton's trip to Newcastle United on Monday
Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite during an Everton training session at Finch Farm on September 9, 2026
Jack Grealish, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite during an Everton training session at Finch Farm on September 9, 2026(Image: Tony McArdle - Everton FC via Getty Images)
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David Moyes faces some huge selection dilemmas as Everton travel to St James’ Park on Monday night to face Newcastle United for the second time in five days.
After confirming that it was a club decision that he supported, to omit Jack Grealish from the squad for 3-1 Carabao Cup win over the Magpies at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday, Moyes refused to be drawn on whether the 31-year-old, who has returned to the Blues from Manchester City for a second season-long loan spell, would be in contention to play in Tyneside.
With Grealish having also missed Everton’s previous game – a 2-0 defeat at Arsenal last Saturday – Tyrique George has produced a couple of promising displays in his absence.
One player who the Blues are hoping to welcome back is arguably the most valuable member of their squad, Jarrad Branthwaite. The England international collided with Emiliano Martinez in Chelsea’s 2-0 win at Hill Dickinson Stadium on October 17 – an incident that resulted in the Argentinian goalkeeper going to hospital after suffering a fractured jaw.
Moyes has subsequently revealed that he found out the following Monday that Branthwaite had suffered concussion but after the 24-year-old sat out the games against Arsenal and Newcastle United, when asked about the player’s availability for Monday, the Everton manager said: “Jarrad should have recovered from his concussion and also the time scale, which we had to abide by.”
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READ MORE: National media agree on Jack Grealish as Everton blitz Newcastle without him
If Branthwaite does return to the starting line-up then Jake O’Brien could lose his place with captain James Tarkowski having produced some excellent displays of late in the other centre-back berth. Should that happen, the Republic of Ireland international could earn a potential reprieve by moving over to right-back as nobody has been entirely convincing in that position.
O’Brien was deployed there for the bulk of Moyes’ first 18 months back at the club but so far this term it has been occupied by Merlin Rohl, a natural midfielder, and then a specialist Ainsley Maitland-Niles. After netting a spectacular last-gasp equaliser against Manchester United on his debut, the transfer deadline day signing from Olympique Lyonnais started the subsequent four matches but has been on the bench for the last two with the German having been restored to the side.
James Garner, who netted his first goal of the season to open the scoring against Newcastle United, is yet another potential alternative at right-back as the Glaswegian gaffer also has a selection poser in central midfield. Harrison Armstrong has started every Premier League match so far this term but Moyes started Hayden Hackney against Matthias Jaissle’s side and the former Middlesbrough man broke his duck in a royal blue jersey to double the hosts’ advantage on Thursday.
There will also be question marks over Tyler Dibling on the right-wing after a quiet display last time out with Brennan Johnson pushing to earn a recall.
Jack Grealish (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
Jack Grealish (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)