Grealish remains Everton’s main selection question
Everton’s clearest uncertainty ahead of Gameweek 9 is Jack Grealish. David Moyes wouldn’t confirm whether the midfielder will be available for Monday’s return against Newcastle United, leaving fantasy managers and supporters without a firm indication of his status.
Grealish missed Thursday’s EFL Cup tie after being left out “due to a breach of club discipline.” He was reportedly absent from a training session, though Moyes didn’t expand on the circumstances. The distinction matters: the confirmed reason came from the club, while the reported detail hasn’t been explained further by the manager.
Moyes said the decision was made by the club and declined to discuss it. Asked whether Grealish would be available in Gameweek 9, he replied: “I wouldn’t give any team news away.” That answer preserves the uncertainty rather than offering a useful hint about the midfielder’s prospects.
Why the uncertainty matters
For a team preparing to face the same opponent twice in quick succession, selection decisions can be difficult to read from one match alone. A player’s absence from a cup tie might reflect discipline, fitness, tactical preference, or a combination of factors; in Grealish’s case, Everton have identified a disciplinary breach, but haven’t said whether that will affect his place on Monday.
That makes the situation more significant than it looks. Grealish’s cup absence is established, but it doesn’t settle whether he’ll be available for the league match. Until Everton provide a clearer update, any prediction about his role is speculation.
If you're weighing up Everton players for Gameweek 9, the practical question is whether you can wait for further information before making a decision. Moyes’s refusal to reveal team news means the press conference offers no reliable confirmation either way. And this is the part most people overlook: an explanation for an absence isn’t the same as an update on a player’s next appearance.
Branthwaite expected to return
Jarrad Branthwaite is the more encouraging update. The defender missed the cup match with concussion, but Moyes said he “should” be fit for the Newcastle rematch, adding that he should have recovered and completed the required timeframe.
The wording is positive, though it still falls short of confirmation. Concussion protocols involve a recovery period and a return to activity, so completing the required timeframe is a necessary step rather than a guarantee of selection. Everton will still need to assess Branthwaite’s condition before Monday.
Mykolenko’s return and the squad check
Vitalii Mykolenko also returned from a short lay-off, playing 86 minutes on Thursday. That appearance gives Everton another option in defence, though the match alone doesn’t establish whether he’ll be ready to start again so soon.
Moyes said Everton appeared to have avoided fresh injuries in the first leg of the double-header. He wanted to assess the squad at Friday’s training session before being certain, leaving that check as the next meaningful update on the team’s condition.
The press conference was filmed after Everton’s EFL Cup win over Newcastle. The teams meet again on Monday, so the cup result provides recent context but little certainty about the lineup for the second match. Branthwaite’s likely return is the clearest positive; Grealish’s availability remains unresolved. A wait for the training assessment.
What to watch before Monday
Everton’s next update could clarify whether Branthwaite has completed his recovery and whether the squad came through Thursday’s match without problems. Grealish’s situation may also become clearer, but Moyes’s comments give no basis for assuming he’ll be included or left out.
For readers tracking Gameweek 9 team news, the useful distinction is between a probable return and an open selection question. Branthwaite has Moyes’s qualified backing to be fit; Grealish has no public assurance about availability. Until the club says more, the midfielder’s status is the key unanswered point.
- READ MORE: Press conferences for Gameweek 9