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Despite spending £320 million on attacking players in summer, Liverpool have struggled in front of goal so far this season.

They've score 16 goals in 9 Premier League games, an average of 1.78 goals a game. In comparison to last year, Liverpool scored 86 goals in 38 games - an average of 2.26 a game.

Hugo Ekitike has the most goals across all competitions for Liverpool this season, with six goals from 13 games. But record British signing Alexander Isak is yet to replicate his goal scoring form that earned him the move from Newcastle, with just one goal in eight appearances.

Mo Salah, who ended last season as the Premier League top scorer on 29, has also been struggling to find the back of the net with just four goals across all competitions.

Arne Slot now has a number of attacking questions to answer as Liverpool look to return to winning ways having lost four league games in a bounce.

Should Ekitike be starting ahead of Isak? Or should the pair be up top together? Can Salah be dropped? Only time will tell.

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Paul: With Palace, Villa, Real Madrid and Man City coming up would, say, three more defeats put Arne Slot under real pressure? Liverpool don't sack managers easily, but surely if this run of form persists then even the most successful manager could be in trouble.

Phil: Hi, Paul. Slot is under the same pressure as every Liverpool manager – and that is the pressure to win games. Pressure for his job? Not a chance.

Slot won the title in his first season after succeeding Jurgen Klopp, and while he needs wins as quickly as possible, Liverpool is not the sort of club to panic, even if the next sequence of results go badly.

I would agree, however, that they need to show signs of becoming more resilient and balanced, because I think they are a dysfunctional, soft touch at the moment. And, Hugo Ekitike apart, their big signings have not yet delivered.

Slot however still has plenty of credit in the bank and Liverpool is a calm club internally, not given to hasty, panicky decisions, certainly not when it involves a manager who won the Premier League last season.

There are certainly levels to the amount of preparation goalkeepers put in to penalties.

You could never accuse Jordan Pickford of guesswork when it comes to spot-kicks, for example.

The England and Everton number one's water bottles, detailed with information on where players tend to put their penalties, are superb.

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Colin: Why do goalkeepers guess at penalties? They don't guess any time during the game so why don't they shot stop at penalties? As a supporter there is nothing more infuriating than to see your keeper laying on the ground while a miss hit shot trickles in the goal.

Phil: Good morning, Colin. I actually think you’re wrong on this one. In the past there may have been an element of guesswork, but I think the approach is far more sophisticated now. We have seen it with goalkeepers having details of potential penalty takers on water bottles.

Do not forget there are two people involved so it is a war of nerves on some occasions. The penalty taker may know the keeper has done his or her homework so tries something different.

I think the days of guesswork are gone.

Right then, it's time to welcome BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty to the conversation!

Phil's been reading your questions and is ready to go.

Do keep your questions coming in by clicking 'Get Involved' at the top of this page.

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Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed Jaydee Canvot and Walter Benitez will start against Liverpool.

But Chris Richards will miss out with a calf issue.

Glasner said: “All the others are fine and recovered well.

"The players showed at the Emirates that they are fit and they could try to get the equaliser until the final whistle, so it looks positive.”

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot has written in the matchday programme before his side host Crystal Palace: "Of course we have already faced Palace in the Premier League this season and the result on that occasion was not what we would have hoped for. Credit to Palace for that.

"Their winning goal came very late on that occasion after we had equalised following a difficult first half for us, so we should be aware not just of the problems they can cause but also of their ability to keep going until the final whistle."

Liverpool

There is quite a lot of team news to bring you for Liverpool.

Alisson Becker, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni will all miss the fixture because of injury.

Doubts for the match include Ryan Gravenberch, Alexander Isak and Curtis Jones, with no confirmation of their involvement.

Just 10 minutes until we begin our Q&A with BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty!

Thanks for all your questions so far - we'll get stuck into those shortly.

Tottenham Hotspur

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Discussing Tottenham's EFL Cup ambitions, Thomas Frank said:

"To get to win a trophy, that's very difficult. To sustain it is even harder, but that's the aim.

"The players here had a fantastic experience last year and are very eager to win again.

"We are going for it."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has also given an update on his team news before tonight's match.

Frank confirmed it was "all good" for the players that played against Everton on Sunday and added: "Dom [Solanke] stepped forward, step by step. Cuti [Cristian Romero] on the pitch today, not a timeframe.

"Destiny [Udogie] on the pitch as well today, so three steps forward."

Newcastle United

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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has been speaking about the feeling of winning the EFL Cup last season before his side resume their trophy defence against Spurs.

"That feeling was incredible," Howe said.

"One of the big drivers once you've experienced that is you want it again and again as quickly as possible.

"We don't have unlimited opportunities for that so this is one of those chances to go far in a competition, go deep and try and repeat the experience.

"These early rounds are really difficult. It leaves us on no uncertain terms of what we have to do."

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has confirmed that defender Sven Botman did not suffer a concussion against Fulham.

However, Botman did not train on Monday and a decision on his inclusion against Tottenham is still to be determined.

Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento will both miss out but Hall is close to returning and Tino Livramento is "on track", with Howe predicting the Manchester City fixture on 22 November for his come back.

We're loving all your suggestions for alternatives to penalty shootouts in deciding cup ties.

Do keep those coming in - but also remember to send your questions in for BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty, who will be joining us for a Q&A from about 10am.

Just use the 'Get Involved' button at the top of this page and remember to mark your questions for Phil's attention.

The draw for the Carabao Cup quarter-final will take place following Newcastle United’s fourth round meeting with Tottenham on Sky Sports tonight, so just before 10pm all being well.

Here's what's coming up in the Carabao Cup this evening (kick-off 19:45 GMT unless stated):

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

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Crossbar challenge, anyone?