Everton cruised into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over Newcastle United at Hill Dickinson Stadium, setting up a trip to giantkillers Fleetwood Town. Prime Minister Andy Burnham watched on with glee as the Blues progressed without the injured Jack Grealish.
Grealish absence and team news
Grealish has twice received a huge vote of confidence from David Moyes, first last summer when he was surplus to requirements and again this year on transfer deadline day following a stress fracture injury that sidelined him for most of the second half of last season. He reportedly let his Glaswegian gaffer down by not reporting for duty at a time when the Blues have just 18 outfield players, with Jarrad Branthwaite out through concussion protocol and Christian Norgaard still recovering from a pre-season injury.
Match action
Everton took the lead on 34 minutes through Hayden Hackney, brought in for teenager Harrison Armstrong. Tyrique George, Grealish's replacement on the left wing, won the ball by the touchline and fed Hackney, who picked out James Garner. The Blues' reigning Player of the Season netted his first goal this term with a sweeping effort from the edge of the area.
Everton doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time with a clever move by both the home players and referee Farai Hallam. Pickford quickly got the ball upfield to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who drove at the Newcastle defence. Although the midfielder was fouled by Jacob Ramsey, the match official played advantage. The loose ball fell to Thierno Barry on the left of the area, and the striker lofted a cross to Hackney, who volleyed in his first goal for the club.
Newcastle made a triple switch at the start of the second half, but the Blues sealed their passage on 69 minutes as Barry despatched a confident side-foot finish after being picked out by a left-wing cross from Dewsbury-Hall.
Late Newcastle consolation
Newcastle captain Dan Burn headed in at the back post from Joe Willock's left-wing cross, as home centre-back Jake O'Brien found himself beaten too easily by the only man taller than him on the pitch. The goal prompted bad-tempered exchanges, with Burn, Joelinton, Tarkowski and Pickford all booked in the resultant scuffle.
Everton are now just 90 minutes away from their first semi-final in 11 years since Roberto Martinez's charges were defeated by Manchester City. The two sides meet again in the Premier League at St James' Park on Monday night.
