Everton and Newcastle Clash in Carabao Cup Showdown
The Carabao Cup action heats up with Everton taking on Newcastle United at 7:45 PM GMT tonight.
The winner of this exciting encounter will head to Fleetwood Town for the quarter-finals, set to take place during the week of December 14, 2026.
Tonight's match will not feature VAR, and if the score is tied after the regular 90 minutes plus stoppage time, there will be no extra time. Instead, the game will go straight to penalties to decide who advances.
Everton has made two changes to their lineup following their 2-0 defeat against Arsenal last weekend. Hayden Hackney and Tyler Dibling have been brought in, while Brennan Johnson and Harrison Armstrong take places on the bench. Jarrad Branthwaite is sidelined due to concussion protocols, and Jack Grealish has been omitted from the squad following an unapproved absence from training.
Newcastle, coming off a 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace, has made one adjustment to their starting XI. Jacob Ramsey steps in for Joelinton, who will start the match on the bench.
Here’s how the teams line up:
For Everton: Pickford, Rohl, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko, Hackney, Garner, Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, George, Barry.
Substitutes include: Travers, King, Maitland-Niles, Keane, Johnson, Norgaard, Alcaraz, Armstrong, Graham.
Newcastle’s lineup features: Hornicek, Dedic, Schar, Burn, Hall, Gonzalez, Ramsey, Murphy, Willock, Barnes, Osula.
Their bench includes: Pope, Botman, Joelinton, Bamba, Wissa, Thiaw, Steur, Toure, Elanga.
The match will be officiated by referee Farai Hallam.
Newcastle once struggled to secure silverware, but their triumph in the 2025 League Cup changed that narrative. Now it's Everton's turn to break a lengthy dry spell that dates back to 1995. Fans are buzzing with anticipation as the Toffees aim for their first trophy in 31 years. With a potential quarter-final against Fleetwood Town on the horizon, the excitement is palpable.
Will this be the year Everton finally lifts a cup again? Or can Newcastle continue their resurgence with a second major trophy in three seasons after a 56-year wait? Only one of these storied clubs will advance past 10 PM. The action is about to kick off!
