No Grealish, no cry – the rise of Everton's youngsters

BBC Sport examines the growing influence of Everton's youngsters on their chances of success this season. Players aged 24 or under are playing a higher proportion of minutes for Everton this season As Everton prepared to face Newcastle in the fourth round of the EFL Cup at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Thursday, the stakes were high. A quarter-final tie against League Two opposition in Fleetwood awaited the winner, and a fanbase starved of trophies began to look ahead – albeit, for some, through covered eyes. Then, in the build-up to the match, it was revealed Jack Grealish had been dropped from the squad over what is understood to have been an unauthorised absence from training.

The unwanted headline threatened to derail preparations for the latest round of a competition that perhaps offers Everton's best chance of winning a trophy for the first time in 31 years. Instead, the club's younger players came to the fore, led by the influential Hayden Hackney. A £16.5m summer signing from Middlesbrough, the 24-year-old made light of his inexperience at the highest level against a strong Newcastle XI, assisting James Garner's opening goal before scoring Everton's second with a close-range volley. Hackney, though, has needed to be patient early in his Everton career. After starting the opening game of the season – a 2-0 win