Jack Grealish was ruled out of Everton's Carabao Cup round of 16 fixture against Newcastle on Thursday following what the club described as a breach of discipline. While Everton did not officially specify the nature of the infraction, multiple reports indicate the decision stems from an unauthorized absence from training sessions.
The Manchester City winger, who is currently on loan at the Hill Dickinson Stadium for his second consecutive season, had previously missed Saturday's 2-0 Premier League defeat to Arsenal. That earlier absence was attributed to illness by the club. Despite starting three consecutive league matches prior to the Arsenal game, Grealish did not feature in the lineup against Newcastle.
Everton manager David Moyes addressed the situation briefly after the team secured a 3-1 victory over Newcastle, which sets up a quarterfinal clash with fourth-tier side Fleetwood Town. When asked for further details regarding Grealish's exclusion, Moyes declined to elaborate, stating it was a club decision that he supports and prefers not to discuss extensively.
At 31 years old, Grealish has yet to register a goal or an assist in his seven appearances this season. His previous campaign saw him contribute six assists and two goals in 20 matches before suffering a season-ending foot injury in January. He remained with Everton during his rehabilitation after enjoying his time on Merseyside.
The player, who originally cost Manchester City £100 million in 2021, began the current season within Enzo Maresca's squad at the Etihad Stadium. He made substitute appearances in both the Community Shield loss to Arsenal and the Premier League opener against Bournemouth before returning to Everton on loan on September 1. In Grealish's absence for the Newcastle match, Tyrique George and Brennan Johnson were deployed on the wings, with Tyler Dibling replacing Johnson in the starting lineup.
Sources: ESPN Soccer.