Everton beat Newcastle to set up League Cup quarterfinal with Fleetwood

What the report says

Everton moved into the League Cup quarterfinals after defeating Newcastle United 3-1 at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on Reuters. The result sends the Merseyside club into a last-eight meeting with League Two side Fleetwood Town, who have already produced one of the competition’s notable upsets by eliminating Arsenal on penalties earlier in the week.

James Garner and Hayden Hackney scored in the first half to give Everton control, and Thierno Barry added a third after the break. Newcastle’s only goal came late from Dan Burn. The article also noted that Everton were without midfielder Jack Grealish, who had been left out of the squad after an internal disciplinary issue.

The quarterfinal draw features several other high-profile ties. Defending champions Manchester City will face Bradford City, Crystal Palace will host Sunderland, and Bournemouth will travel to Liverpool. The quarterfinal matches are scheduled for the week beginning December 14.

The wider context is that the League Cup has already produced several lower-division surprises this season, including Fleetwood’s win over Arsenal, while top-flight clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester City also advanced through difficult ties. Everton’s victory keeps them in contention for a domestic cup run and sets up a matchup against lower-league opposition with a chance to reach the semifinals.