As Everton prepared to face Newcastle in the fourth‑round EFL Cup at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday, pressure mounted.
With a quarter‑final against League Two Fleetwood on the line, a trophy‑starved fanbase began to look ahead, though many kept their eyes covered.
Ahead of kickoff, news broke that Jack Grealish had been omitted after an alleged unauthorised training absence.
The unwanted headline threatened to derail the Toffees’ best shot at ending a 31‑year trophy drought.
Instead, the youngsters seized the moment, with midfield dynamo Hayden Hackney leading the charge.
The 24‑year‑old, a £16.5m summer arrival from Middlesbrough, shrugged off inexperience, set up James Garner’s opener and volleyed Everton’s second.
Hackney, however, has learned patience early in his Everton tenure.
After starting the season‑opening 2‑0 win over Crystal Palace, his only other start before Thursday came in the third‑round cup clash with Wolves.
Not a prolific scorer, the central midfielder recorded only his second career goal‑and‑assist combo, yet his composure stitched play together, earning him last season’s Championship Player of the Year.
Moyes remains exacting, keen to keep youthful exuberance in check.
“I saw flashes of brilliance,” the manager said. “Finding the net was great, but some moments fell short of expectation.
“It’s about integrating Championship talent, giving them Premier League seasoning. He got squeezed a couple of times,” Moyes added.
“I enjoyed his attacking instincts, his runs into the box, and that finish. Thierno Barry also delivered a quality assist,” he noted.
Strong showings from Garner and Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall bolstered Hackney, yet the thin squad makes the progress of these youngsters vital for any season‑long success. For my money, their rise could define Everton’s future.
Since Moyes returned in January 2025, ten permanent signings arrived; seven are 24 or younger, Barry included.
The France U‑21 international, in only his third top‑flight season after swapping Villarreal for Everton in July 2025, faces added pressure due to limited forward options.
Barry, Everton’s sole specialist centre‑forward, has started every game, logging 918 minutes and netting seven goals – just one shy of last season despite 30 fewer outings.
Everton have created 24 big chances; Barry featured in 15 of them (62.5%).
Moyes may have been compelled to hand Barry minutes, yet the broader trend shows greater faith in the club’s youth this campaign.
The Premier League starting XI’s average age has slipped by nearly 18 months to 26 years, 216 days.
Idrissa Gueye’s exit shifted minutes toward players 24 or younger, who now log a markedly higher share than last term.
Moyes deployed just 22 players last Premier League season; he has already matched that tally this year.
Even the youngest have earned trust: in 2025‑26, 21‑year‑olds amassed 1,088 minutes, a figure already surpassed this campaign at 1,206.
At 19, Harrison Armstrong is the squad’s youngest regular; after a six‑month loan at Preston, Moyes opted to keep him at Goodison for gradual integration.
The teenager has started every Premier League fixture this season.
Winger Tyler Dibling, 20, struggled after a £35m move from Southampton in summer 2025 but helped push Everton forward against Newcastle on Thursday.
Tyrique George signed permanently from Chelsea after a loan spell that yielded a single league start last season.
The 20‑year‑old has already featured five times, scoring his first club goal in the 2‑2 draw with Manchester United in September.
George also started the recent EFL Cup tie, winning the ball that led to the opening goal.
Merlin Rohl broke through late last season; the 24‑year‑old, who secured a permanent deal after a loan, now regularly fills the right‑back slot.
After a four‑game injury layoff, he returned straight into the XI against Chelsea and then edged out veteran Ainsley Maitland‑Niles for the right‑back role versus Arsenal and Newcastle.
When asked if Grealish would feature in Monday’s rematch at St James’ Park, Moyes declined to comment, though experience remains a prized asset for the 63‑year‑old manager.
Defender James Tarkowski, 33, has stood out, while the form of seniors like Jordan Pickford, 32, and Dewsbury‑Hall, 28, stays crucial.
Yet when Everton face Newcastle again on Monday, Grealish may sit out once more.
In his absence, the youthful unit proved capable of winning a cup tie; replicate that in the league and their influence will only grow.