According to a report by The Sun, Everton winger Jack Grealish was dropped from the squad due to disciplinary issues. Just prior to this, he had engaged in drinking sprees across London and Cheshire on two consecutive nights.
On Monday night, October 19, he attended the Pride of Britain Awards ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, before heading to the BAM Karaoke Box in Victoria, where he stayed until the early hours before departing. An insider revealed: “Grealish was in great spirits following the ceremony and went into central London with several friends. It was already quite late when he arrived at the bar; they drank plenty, sang, and didn't leave until late. He appeared to be having a wonderful time.”
Early Tuesday morning, Grealish returned home. Later that day, he took part in Everton's training session. However, by Tuesday evening, he was spotted again at The Mucky Pup Irish bar in Wilmslow, Cheshire, gathering with close friends, including Everton teammates Jordan Pickford and Tyler Dibling, as well as former Manchester City teammate Kyle Walker. A witness stated: "They were watching the Paris vs. Barcelona match in a private booth at the back of the pub; everyone was in high spirits, and everyone, including Grealish, was drinking non-stop." That night, they also visited a bowling alley located near Grealish's luxury mansion in Altrincham.
On Wednesday, Grealish and his teammates were granted a scheduled day off. For the subsequent EFL Cup tie, Grealish was excluded from the matchday squad for breaching club discipline. According to Sky Sports, he missed training without authorization and was sanctioned accordingly.