Thanks for sending in all your questions for Chief football writer Phil McNulty today.

In case you missed it, here's where you can find his answers on a range of topics on:

• Arsenal: Gunners fans won't complain if set pieces win them the league, and Max Dowman is a rare talent
• Liverpool: Arne Slot's players don't look happy and are struggling to adapt but the manager is not under pressure
• Sunderland, Burnley & Leeds: All three promoted teams have a real chance of survival
• Aston Villa: Unai Emery's side will be targeting Champions League football after their upturn in results
• Manchester United: Ruben Amorim's side are showing definite improvement, and Mbeumo and Cunha are proving excellent signings
• Everton: The Toffees lack of a reliable striker is letting them down
• Wolves: They are in real trouble of relegation

Your suggestions for alternative ways to decide cup matches instead of a penalty shootout have certainly kept us entertained today. Here's a few of the best shouts:

• Manager arm wrestles
• I'm a Celebrity-style Cyclone for strikers
• Squid Game-style Green Light Red Light to the halfway line
• Fan penalties
• A penalty shootout before the game
• Goalkeeper keepy uppies
• And even dodgeball

A reminder of what's happening in the Carabao Cup this evening:

• Arsenal v Brighton
• Liverpool v Crystal Palace
• Swansea City v Manchester City
• Wolves v Chelsea
• Newcastle United v Tottenham (20:00)

Image source, Getty Images

If the league table is anything to go by, then Tottenham have certainly been improving under Thomas Frank.

Last season after nine games, Spurs sat 8th in the table with 13 points - a far better position then they found themselves in at the end of the campaign.

Fast forward a year and Spurs are 3rd in the league with 17 points. They're also undefeated in the Champions League, having won one and drawn the other two.

It might come as a bit of a surprise given Ange Postecoglou's style of play that Spurs have only sored one less goal this season compared to last season, while having conceded three less goals.

The impressive 3-0 victory over Everton last weekend will also give Spurs fans hope that there is still more to come under Frank.

Tottenham Hotspur

Michael: Hi Phil, With Spurs sitting third but not exactly setting the world alight yet, do you think it's more realistic to look at this as a building and resetting season? Especially with the young front line not yet clicking, despite some good individual performances.

Hello Michael. I think most Spurs would settle for third in the league without setting the world alight.

I think there was always going to be an element of transition under Thomas Frank but Spurs have looked very solid away from home and they will be delighted with that league placing. They have set a very decent platform.

Think we have to be careful not to get carried away with hopes and aspirations for Spurs this season. Don’t forget they finished 17th last season, so I would say top six should be the target – and even that is quite the league from the final season under Ange Postecoglou, even though they won the Europa League.

Image source, Getty Images

Dan: Hi Phil, there was a time in football (barely one or two seasons ago) where everyone including managers said, "judge the team after ten games". With the situation at Forest and everyone having meltdowns over Liverpool that seems to have gone out of the window. Why?

Hello, Dan. The days of managers getting two or three seasons before their work is assessed went out of the window a long time ago. The fear of relegation, and the financial implications, holds clubs in its icy grip so decisions are taken much more quickly.

The penalties for failure are so high these days, that clubs can sometimes panic – and quickly.

I think Forest was a situation where the relationship between the owner, Evangelos Marinakis, and manager Nuno Espirito Santo had broken down irretrievably, such a shame after getting into Europe.

Marinakis then made a mistake in going for Ange Postecoglou, simply because it meant Forest going straight from A to Z in terms of approach. You could not get a more different style than Postecoglou’s all-out attack from Nuno’s counter-attacking approach, although Postecoglou was hardly given a chance to instigate his changes before Forest fans decided he was not for them.

Now Forest are back to the more conservative, pragmatic approach of Sean Dyche so let’s see how that works.

As for Liverpool, I think it is a shock to most people’s systems to see the Premier League champions spend almost £450m then look much worse than they did last season.

There will be no panic at Liverpool, although head coach Arne Slot needs to get the team looking more balanced and competitive quickly.

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi would have been playing for Liverpool this season had his transfer deal not fallen through on deadline day.

A deal was struck between the clubs for a fee of £35 million, plus a 10 percent sell-on clause. However, despite starting his medical it fell through because Palace did not sign enough defensive replacements in time.

The London club faced difficulties with target Igor Julio moving to West Ham

Palace did sign a defender on deadline day with Toulouse centre-back Jaydee Canvot joining on a four-year contract but the club wanted two defensive back-ups to let Guehi leave.

Read more here.

Liverpool

Luke: Hi Phil. Do you think that Liverpool would be in this situation if they'd successfully acquired Guehi in the summer? How much of an impact do you think that missed signing has had?

Hello Luke. Very hard to say definitively, but I do think they would certainly have looked more solid defensively with Marc Guehi, because Ibrahima Konate had has a very poor season to date.

I think Liverpool have also had problems in the full-back positions, with left-back Milos Kerkez really struggling to adjust to life at Liverpool following his move from Bournemouth.

On the other flank Jeremie Frimpong has suffered with injuries, and actually looks more comfortable as a right-winger rather than a right-back, while Conor Bradley needs to be more disciplined and not put himself at risk of yellow and red cards so often.

What we can say with certainly is that Marc Guehi would have been an outstanding addition and improved Liverpool’s defensive resources. It was certainly a blow for Liverpool when that deal fell down.

Image source, Getty Images

In today's gossip column, The Times, external are reporting that Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta, 28, is keen to leave West Ham in January.

The report says Paqueta, who is under contract until 2027, wanted to leave in the summer but West Ham blocked a move to Aston Villa.

Read more in today's gossip

West Ham have only had four different scorers in the Premier League this season who have produced seven goals.

Of those scorers, two are forwards and two are midfielders.

The club have also conceded 20 goals this season. They are currently 19th after nine games after winning just one game so far this campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

Jarrod Bowen is West Ham's joint top goalscorer across all competitions this season and is the top scorer in the Premier League for the club.

In the top-flight he has scored three goals, while Lucas Paqueta has two and one in the EFL Cup.

Bowen was also the Hammers' top scorer in the Premier League last season with 13 in 34 games.

West Ham United

Gave: Hi Phil, do you think West Ham are too dependent on Jarrod Bowen to score goals? Should they have kept Michail Antonio on the books as a striking option to ease the pressure up front and maybe they wouldn’t then be constantly in the relegation zone this season?

Hello. I do think West Ham United are very heavily dependent on Bowen because he is such an outstanding, consistent player but as a team they are simply not good enough. He cannot pull them out of the mire every time.

As for Antonio, we can only assume West Ham did not think he would get back to what the wanted after his car accident, although only they can answer that.

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport

Since Brendan Rodgers resigned as Celtic manager on Monday, several candidates have emerged as the Northern Irishman's long-term successor.

Celtic moved quickly to appoint former manager Martin O'Neill as interim boss - 20 years after his first stint in charge of the Glasgow club ended.

Sunday's 3-1 defeat at table-toppers Hearts was Celtic's second successive Premiership loss, leaving them eight points adrift in second place, while they have won just two of their last seven matches across all competitions.

O'Neill, 73, has played down suggestions he could take up the job on a full-time basis - insisting he is just "keeping the seat warm".

Several candidates have already started to emerge for the position, including some names that have strong links to Parkhead.

Read who could step up to the plate here.

Image source, Getty Images

Celtic's major shareholder Dermot Desmond released a box office statement after Brendan Rodgers resigned. Here's a few quotes:

• "Unfortunately, his conduct and communication in recent months have not reflected that trust."
• "Every player signed and every player sold during his tenure was done so with Brendan’s full knowledge, approval, and endorsement. Any insinuation otherwise is absolutely false."
• "Brendan and I met for over three hours at his home in Scotland to discuss the issue. Despite ample opportunity, he was unable to identify a single instance where the club had obstructed or failed to support him. The facts did not match his public narrative."
• "Regrettably, his words and actions since then have been divisive, misleading, and self-serving. They have contributed to a toxic atmosphere around the club and fuelled hostility towards members of the executive team and the Board."
• "What has failed recently was not due to our structure or model, but to one individual’s desire for self-preservation at the expense of others."

Image source, Getty Images

Celtic's interim boss Martin O'Neill made it clear he would not be a permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers, saying he is just "keeping the seat warm".

The 73-year-old said: "I think I said that to you a long time ago. I can't emphasise this enough, this is short term, until a permanent manager is appointed.

"I think that Celtic will be searching around, as I said to you, for that young manager with proven ability who has got a bit of a track record. I will just sit in there and keep the seat warm for him."

Celtic

GRT: Morning Phil. Do you think Kieran McKenna should trade in Ipswich Town for Celtic?

Hello, GRT. I think Kieran McKenna would find it very difficult to resist the lure of Celtic should they make an approach for him. Celtic may have their difficulties currently, but they are still a huge club in stature and fanbase. Sorry, Ipswich Town fans.

Manchester United

Image source, Getty Images

How much on an impact has Bryan Mbeumo had on Man Utd's run of form?

The summer signing scored twice as United picked up their third league win in a row, defeating Brighton 4-2 at Old Trafford.

He now has four goals from his first nine Premier League games with the club, and former striker Wayne Rooney believes he's been the club's best signing so far.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney show, he said: "Mbeumo has been consistent with his performances, I think that's the main thing.

"If you're consistently getting in the right positions, getting chances, you will score. When you're a forward and you score goals, you enjoy scoring goals and that feeling keeps going."

"His confidence is very high at the minute.

"Hopefully that continues because he's certainly been the best signing for United this season."

Image source, gett

Rob: Hi Phil, Man Utd fan keen to know if you think Ruben Amorim's coaching/tactics deserves credit in light of recent results - my opinion is that another decent coach (e.g Frank, Glasner) would have got defensively solid wins sooner (and beaten Grimsby) given the excellent summer transfer additions.

Well, Rob, we will never know what Frank or Glasner would have achieved but, yes, I do think Ruben Amorim deserves credit for the recent turnaround, especially for the decision to leave Benjamin Sesko on the bench at Liverpool and use the very mobile front three of Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Bryan Mbeumo.

Amorim has had enough criticism, so let’s not shy away from giving him credit when he gets it right.

In the wider context, I think United have signed two really top-class forwards in Cunha and Mbeumo. They have made plenty of very bad buys in recent times, but not here. Two very good acquisitions.

Manchester United

Image source, Getty Images

For the first time under Ruben Amorim's leadership, Man Utd have won three Premier League games in a row.

The recent run of form has brought them to sixth in the table, just two points behind second placed Bournemouth.

Compared to last season, Man Utd are five points better off then they were after nine games last campaign, when they sat 14th in the table.

Probably the most impressive improvement is goals scored. Man Utd have 15 league goals this season, compared to this time last season when they had just eight.

It isn't all positive for Amorim though, as something to still consider is the defence. Man Utd have conceded 14 goals from nine games in the Prem - the joint most with Liverpool out of anyone inside the current top 10.

Image source, Getty Images

Jamie: Simple question Phil. Do you think Man United have turned a corner? Where do you predict they will finish now?

Afternoon Jamie. I’ll want a lot more evidence before I say a corner has been turned, but there has been definite improvement recently and it also looks like Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha will buck the recent Manchester United trend by being excellent signings.

I predicted 7th at the start of the season. I may just be tempted to improve that slightly to a top six finish – but I’ll want to see consistency over more games coming up before I would suggest United are now on a definite upward trajectory.