Everton ease past Newcastle to set up quarter-final tie at Fleetwood

Newcastle United's Nico Gonzalez (L) and Everton's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall battle for the ball during the English League Cup fourth round soccer match between Everton and Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. (is associated with: «Everton ease past Newcastle to set up quarter-final tie at Fleetwood») Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpaEverton set up a Carabao Cup quarter-final against League Two Fleetwood as they eased to a 3-1 win over Newcastle.The Toffees overcame the absence of Jack Grealish, left out due to a breach of club discipline after an unauthorised absence from training, thanks to goals from James Garner, Hayden Hackney and Thierno Barry.On Tuesday Arsenal learned to their cost that Fleetwood cannot be overlooked but David Moyes’ side are now clear favourites to reach the last four of a competition they have never won as they target their first silverware since lifting the FA Cup in 1995.Everton pounded on a defensive mistake to take the lead in the 34th minute, with Garner firing low in to the far corner for his first goal since January.Hackney, last season’s Championship player of the year making only his third Everton start since joining from Middlesbrough in the summer, then opened his Toffees account just before half-time, left with a simple close-range finish as Everton hit Newcastle on the counter.Barry applied the killer blow in the 69th minute, finding space inside the box to pick his spot from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s cross, and although Dan Burn headed in an 88th minute consolation goal, it was far too late as Newcastle’s hopes of reclaiming the trophy they lifted in 2025 were dashed.The Magpies, backed by 8,000 travelling fans, had the better of the opening exchanges.Harvey Barnes was the first to test Jordan Pickford with a header before the goalkeeper also made saves from Joe Willock and Fabian Schar, while Vitalii Mykolenko made a huge block to keep out Jacob Ramsey’s strikeEverton were slow to get going but Hackney should have broken the deadlock in the 20th minute, only to scuff his shot as he met Mykolenko’s whipped cross at the near post.The game turned with two moments of quality at either end of the pitch. A superb challenge from James Tarkowski saved Everton as William Osula went to pull the trigger from close range.Moments later Tyrique George harried Amar Dedic into a poor clearance which deflected into the path of Hackney, who quickly slipped it inside for Garner to pick out the far corner of the net from the edge of the box.A similar pattern followed late in the first half. Newcastle surrounded referee Farai Hallam after Barnes went down under Dewsbury-Hall’s challenge in the box but their appeals were waved away, and seconds later Everton were celebrating again.Hallam played advantage when Dewsbury-Hall was fouled by Ramsey, and Barry dinked in a cross from the left for Hackney to stroke home.Magpies boss Matthias Jaissle sent on Anthony Elanga, Joelinton and Yoane Wissa at the break, and Wissa almost got through on goal nine minutes later, with Pickford quickly out to snaffle a tame header.Newcastle huffed and puffed without really threatening to get back into it before Barry got the decisive third, pulling clear of Burn at the back post before firing home his seventh goal in 11 appearances this season.Burn partly made amends at the end, but Newcastle will need to have a rethink before these sides meet again in the Premier League on Tyneside on Monday night.Everton's Thierno Barry celebrates scoring his side's third goal during the English League Cup fourth round soccer match between Everton and Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. (is associated with: «Everton ease past Newcastle to set up quarter-final tie at Fleetwood») Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpaEverton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford reacts during the English League Cup fourth round soccer match between Everton and Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. (is associated with: «Everton ease past Newcastle to set up quarter-final tie at Fleetwood») Peter Byrne/PA Wire/dpa