Carroll, who came through the ranks at St James' Park, claimed the headlines with a hat-trick against Aston Villa in the second game of the season and was tipped to break into Fabio Capello's England squad.
He followed that up with an equaliser against Wolves but has not scored in four appearances since and was left on the bench for Sunday's defeat at Manchester City as Shola Ameobi was rewarded for his Carling Cup brace against Chelsea.
"What I have to do is pick players who are going to win a game for Newcastle United," Hughton said in the Daily Mirror. "Andy had a touch of a virus last week and if you look at his last performance, he had perhaps lost that edge.
"Shola Ameobi had done well at Chelsea and is pushing him hard. That's the competition we have and Shola started against Manchester City. Andy is a massive part of this club, but we have to have competition in all areas. These are the things we see week-in, week-out."
Meanwhile, on-loan Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster has warned Newcastle United he does not want to return to St James's Park in January as he feels he will only progress playing first-team football.
"I am here until January at the shortest, but I will worry about that down the line. It is pointless worrying,'' he told the Journal. "Football can change in 24 hours, but hopefully I can stay.
"I would be a bit gutted to go back. It depends on the circumstances if I go back to play then I am Newcastle United's goalkeeper and it is up to them. However, I want to play week in, week out and sitting on a bench is not something I want.
"The only way I will progress in my career is if I am out playing in front of big crowds. I knew with being in Scotland I could not be called back right away when Harps got injured. That is fine by me as I want to be here playing for a massive club. I am exactly where I want to be."
Hughton is hoping for a fitness boost with Danny Simpson and Danny Guthrie both stepping up their bids to return. The two men were named in the reserve team Tuesday afternoon's clash with Aston Villa at the club's Darsley Park training headquarters.
It will be a first appearance of the season for both men, with full-back Simpson having spent the summer recovering from surgery on a long-term ankle complaint, while midfielder Guthrie picked up a knee injury on the eve of the new campaign.
They will be joined for the second-string game by Ryan Taylor, Alan Smith and Xisco, who have found themselves playing peripheral roles for Hughton in recent weeks.
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