Jaissle faces Everton again, four days after they beat his strongest side
Newcastle sent out their best side at Everton on Thursday and went out of the League Cup 3-1. Four days on, the same opponents come to Tyneside, and Jack Grealish's place is in question after he was left out of the cup tie for a breach of club discipline.
"The best possible line-up" was what Matthias Jaissle promised for Thursday's League Cup tie, out of respect for the club's history in the competition. Some 8,000 supporters followed Newcastle to Merseyside. Everton won 3-1.
Newcastle should edge it, though only just, in a match of two goals or fewer in which one side fails to score.
Two of the goals came from midfield. James Garner scored after 34 minutes and Hayden Hackney, with his first goal for the club, made it two just before half-time; Thierno Barry added the third after 69. Jaissle changed three players at the break, sending on Yoane Wissa, Joelinton and Anthony Elanga, yet Dan Burn's header two minutes from time was the only reply.
The league table tells a closer story. Newcastle are eighth on 11 points after winning 2-0 at Crystal Palace, a result that came after defeats by Aston Villa and Coventry City. Everton are 11th on 10, having lost 2-0 to Chelsea and 2-0 at Arsenal, and with eight league goals all season Thursday's three were the exception.
David Moyes may again be without Jarrad Branthwaite, who missed the defeat at Arsenal with concussion, while Grealish's absence from the cup tie was his club's decision rather than an injury. Everton now have Fleetwood Town in the quarter-final and a first trophy since the 1995 FA Cup to think about.
