Thierno Barry numbers underline Everton attacking test as Grealish misses Newcastle trip

Thierno Barry Everton numbers provide a sharp lens on David Moyes’s attacking options before Monday night’s Premier League trip to Newcastle United. The game is scheduled for an 8pm GMT kick-off, with Jack Grealish poised to miss a third successive Everton match.

Barry arrived after doing enough at Villarreal to persuade Everton to sign him, but his early spell has been marked by a difficult adjustment to Premier League rhythm. His usage, substitutions and goal return now sit at the centre of the discussion around Everton’s forward options.

Barry’s Everton record shows a stop-start rhythm

Barry has returned eight goals since joining Everton, but the shape of his involvement points to a campaign that has not settled easily. He was subbed off 18 times in 21 league starts, a figure that underlines how often his appearances from the first whistle have ended before full time.

He also began the other 17 games on the bench. Taken together, those numbers show a forward who has been regularly involved but has struggled to establish a consistent Premier League pattern.

Everton’s decision to sign him was built on what he had shown at Villarreal. The challenge since then has been translating that promise into sustained influence in English football, where rhythm, role and minutes can define a striker’s confidence as much as raw output.

Grealish absence adds to selection focus

Grealish is set to be absent again when Moyes’s side visit Newcastle. The 31-year-old was dropped from Everton’s Carabao Cup win against Matthias Jaissle’s team last Thursday for disciplinary reasons.

He had missed training without permission in the buildup to that fourth-round tie. Before that, Grealish was also absent from Everton’s Premier League defeat at Arsenal because of illness.

The Newcastle fixture would therefore mark a third successive game without him. For Everton, that continues a short sequence in which one of their most high-profile players has not been part of the matchday picture.

Newcastle trip puts Everton’s forward options under spotlight

The timing makes the attacking picture especially relevant. A Premier League away fixture at Newcastle offers little room for uncertainty, and Everton’s forward combinations will again be judged on how effectively they can carry threat without Grealish involved.

Barry’s numbers are not a complete verdict on his Everton spell, but they do illustrate why his progress is being watched closely. Eight goals show contribution, while the repeated substitutions and bench starts suggest a player still searching for a settled rhythm.

For Moyes, the immediate issue is not only who starts at Newcastle, but how Everton build enough attacking continuity across the match. Barry’s role, whether from the start or as part of the wider squad picture, remains one of the key subplots.

What happens next

Everton’s Premier League meeting with Newcastle kicks off at 8pm GMT on Monday night. Grealish’s continued absence and Barry’s ongoing adaptation ensure the focus will remain firmly on how Moyes shapes his attack.