Jack Grealish: Decision reached on future as key Everton man swings axe for Moyes

A week on from being ‘incensed’ and ‘incandescent’ after Jack Grealish failed to report for Everton training, it’s not clear if David Moyes has calmed down.

The party line ahead of kick off was that Grealish was “not match fit” for their second clash with Newcastle in the space of five days after being dropped for the first. Probably out on the p*ss again, amirite?!

The Sun quickly got to work uncovering Grealish’s drinking antics in search of a reason behind the reason for him skipping training last Monday. He ‘spent TWO NIGHTS BOOZING in pub and karaoke bar days before being axed from Everton squad’.

Yeah, six days to be exact. And while we don’t doubt the Manchester City loanee has endured some epic hangovers in his time, unless he personally drank BAM Karaoke Box and The Mucky Pup dry before heading to the debauched final stop of a ten-pin bowling alley – no doubt necking shots out of the funny shoes and giving his pals X-rated nicknames on the scoreboard – we suspect he would have been just fine to report for training.

He didn’t though, and we don’t know why.

Asked about the decision to drop Grealish for the 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Newcastle on Thursday, Moyes said: “You probably know I am not going to give any details [about what happened]. It is a club decision and I support it.”

Asked whether he felt let down, Moyes replied: “It is something I don’t want to speak about too much.”

Moyes did though make pointed reference to his side’s “humility” following the victory over the Magpies.

He said: “The one thing about Everton is that they have got real good values. All the players stand behind it and accept the values, on the pitch and off the pitch and I think the players did a good job.

“It is a small squad but we are doing our best to keep challenging. We are not accepting any excuses for nothing and I think the players are doing a great job, there was a humility about us [tonight], we have to play Newcastle again on Monday.”

BBC Sport revealed on Friday that ‘Everton do not regard this week’s misdemeanour as marking the proverbial “Last Chance Saloon” for Grealish’.

There have been ‘occasional time-keeping issues with Grealish in the past, but nothing on this scale from a personality regarded as a hard trainer who, in general, keeps himself in good condition’, and the reality is that Moyes isn’t in a position to kick him to the curb with 18 senior outfield players at his disposal.

He’s yet to register a goal or an assist for Everton this season, but not even the outstanding Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (2.5) has created more chances per 90 minutes than Grealish (2.6), whose experience – unexplained absences aside – will also be of great value to a club now relying hugely on young talent, particularly in attacking areas.

Of the 10 players signed on permanent deals since Moyes rejoined the club in January 2025, seven are aged 24 or under. Including Tyrique George, who’s been the main beneficiary of Grealish’s truancy.

Signed permanently from Chelsea for £24m after a loan spell last season, he ranks tenth in the Premier League for successful dribbles per 90 minutes (2.9), way ahead of any of his Everton teammates.

The 19-year-old looked to be a likely avenue for the Toffees from the first minute on Monday, when he diddled the admittedly very diddleable Amar Dedic with a delightful touch with chalk on his boots.

Dewsbury-Hall smelled blood on the left flank and focused his energy on attacking down George’s side; the pair caused a pathetic Newcastle side no end of problems.

Thierno Barry “somehow missed the ball” with a swinging boot from a very favourable position and Harrison Armstrong really should have done better having been set up beautifully by Dewsbury-Hall.

Moyes will have wondered quite how his team went in at half-time level with their disjointed, toothless, timid hosts, who were met with boos from the home fans as they left the pitch, but Everton took their deserved lead not long after the break thanks to George, Dewsbury-Hall and a pair of sleeping Newcastle players.

Both Dedic and Anthony Elanga will have strips torn off them in the video analysis meeting later this week, but the run they ignored from George was more dynamic and swift than anyone would expect from Grealish, before the younger man’s not ideally directed but powerful shot slipped under Lukas Hornicek for Barry to side-foot home on the line.

Merlin Rohl was excellent on the opposite flank too and the balance of speed and directness that Everton have had in these consecutive victories over Newcastle feels very much like their blueprint for success, allied of course with the more Toffees typical backs-to-the-wall defending they were forced into for the last 10 minutes at St James’ Park.

It feels significant for Grealish that this has been the best week of Everton’s season and arguably the best week they’ve had in a long time. They’ve set up a Carabao Cup quarter-final with Fleetwood Town and have gone seventh in the Premier League ahead of a very good chance to go level on points with Chelsea in fourth as they face Coventry at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Friday.

He will be ‘reintegrated into the squad’. The question was how big a role he will play on his return.

George and his effervescent teammates have given a compelling answer in the last five days; Grealish is set to trade the naughty step for the bench for the foreseeable future.