Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Gav: Hi Phil, What’s the latest news on Raheem Sterling? Would Chelsea be willing/able to loan him ‘for free’ to another London club such as QPR [he wants to stay with his family in London] so that he can keep match fit and get first team football?

Hello, Gav. I think he is exiled at Chelsea until January at the earliest. It is not an ideal situation for player or club because Enzo Maresca could not have made it clearer he will not be involved any more at Chelsea.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Harry: Hi Phil - Ballon d'Or related, I *think* Dembele was the clear winner. However, I see a lot of us PL fans complaining about "Should have been Salah". Do you think we are too dismissive of other leagues even when those teams/players beat four of our best in Europe's hardest competition?

Morning, Harry. We all know how partisan football fans are. They always favour their own players in awards and often do not like it when they go elsewhere.

I believe Dembele was a very worthy winner. He produced outstanding performances in an outstanding PSG team that won the biggest prize in European club football in the most spectacular style.

Not sure too many can mount a serious complaint,

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Tom: Hi Phil, do you think there's an element of over-reacting to Spurs front line right now? There's been numerous columns written about "Where will Spurs goals come from?" but we've scored the same as Arsenal in the league and lost just once, and no one's worried about their goals.

Hi, Tom. I didn’t even realise this was a debate. I think the Spurs forward line will be perfectly fine when everyone is fit and bedded in.

I think it has been a promising start to the season and goals have been scored, so I would not be too concerned on that score.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Chris: Hi Phil - it does not matter if West Ham appointed Jurgen Klopp as the manager, the owners would keep on selling the family silver, getting free transfers and injury-prone and sub-standard players. They have sold us down the river with the stadium move - what's your take on this? Thank you.

I do think it would matter a lot if Jurgen Klopp was appointed as West Ham United manager but I take your overall point.

I can see exactly why West Ham United fans are disappointed with the stadium because, in truth, it is an athletics stadium and does not work as a football arena. It is as far away from Upton Park for atmosphere as you can get. I have been to Everton’s new home by the Mersey waterfront twice and that is a magnificent, purpose-built football stadium.

I have noticed many West Ham fans pointing out the difference.

West Ham have also been hit by so many poor football decisions, such as managerial choices and signings.

As someone who went to Upton Park so many times and absolutely loved it, I feel your pain.

Graham Potter is clearly in real peril, but you do feel it will take more than just a change of manager (again) to transform West Ham’s fortunes.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

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Liz: Hi Phil, there seemed to be two different standards at last night’s Ballon d’Or. Bonmati won as she was the outstanding individual. Dembele won as he played for PSG winning the Champions League. Working on that principle Alessia Russo or Lucy Bronze should have won the woman’s award. Your thoughts?

Morning, Liz. I must admit I thought Alessia Russo had a really strong claim to win the Ballon d’Or but it’s such a subjective thing. She would have every right to be disappointed.

As for Dembele, I have no problem at all with that because I happened to see quite a lot of PSG last season and thought he was a fitting winner on both counts, as he gave outstanding individual performances in an outstanding team that won the Champions League.

So far:

• Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has been talking before the club kick off the defence of their Carabao Cup crown against Bradford City on Wednesday.
• Howe gave an update on the fitness of summer signing Yoane Wissa, saying the DR Congo striker does not been a knee operation and hopes he will be fit to return after October's international break

• You can find all the third-round Carabao Cup ties here, along with the previous results and when the fourth-round draw will be.

Still to come:

• Our very own chief football writer, Phil McNulty will be fielding your questions in a Q&A over the next hour and beyond.
• Carabao Cup news conferences continue with Manchester City's Pep Guardiola from 12:30
• And Tottenham boss Thomas Frank will be speaking to media from 14:00

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Aston Villa's president of football operations Monchi is poised to leave the club.

The 56-year-old's imminent departure comes with Villa 18th in the Premier League after a winless start to the season.

Monchi joined Villa in 2023 from Spanish side Sevilla, where he had been sporting director, having previously worked with Villa boss Unai Emery at the La Liga club.

The pair took Villa to the Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2024 and secured a Champions League place as they finished fourth in the Premier League that season.

They went on to reach the Champions League quarter-finals last season, being knocked out by eventual winners Paris St-Germain.

Villa have started poorly this season, failing to win any of their opening five league games and scoring just once.

They were also knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties by Brentford last week.

Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra has been ruled out until December after having an operation to resolve a groin injury.

The 21-year-old Senegal international suffered the problem during training before the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.

Sunderland said Diarra had "successful" surgery on Monday.

Diarra joined the Black Cats from Strasbourg in July in a deal worth a reported club record £30m.

He played in each of Sunderland's four Premier League games prior to the Villa match, while he also made two appearances for Senegal in September.

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Before Phil McNulty takes charge, let's bring you up to date on today's latest news...

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty is ready and waiting to answer all your footballing questions.

He will be let loose on this page from 11:00 BST, so get those questions in folks.

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

Newcastle United

If you are just joining us, the focus of the morning has been on Newcastle, as they prepare to begin the defence of their Carabao Cup crown.

Manager Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media to preview Wednesday's third-round tie at home to League One pacesetters Bradford City.

Here are the top lines from his news conference:

• Howe said the "EFL Cup is a competition that we love so we are desperate to do well again."
• He explained that the team he picked against Bournemouth was a "very strong team" and he thought they performed strongly albeit without scoring a goal. He said the players who featured against the Cherries may have a rest, but he still wants to progress in the competition so there has to be a balance.
• Newly signed Yoane Wissa has been told he does not need surgery on the knee injury he picked up on international duty. Howe says the forward should return after the international break.
• Howe added that the early rounds of the EFL Cup are "so important" and pointed to some of the tough fixtures the side have faced in recent years.
• Finally, the 47-year-old claimed comparisons between new signing Nick Woltemade and former striker Alexander Isak were not "favourable" and said the team needed to create more chances for the German forward to score.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport

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Newcastle may be struggling to score goals in the Premier League this season following the departure of Alexander Isak to Liverpool but their defence has been rock solid.

Eddie Howe’s side have kept a league-high four clean sheets in five matches. The Magpies have only conceded three goals in the league so far, all of which came in the loss to Liverpool when the visitors scored twice after Newcastle had gone down to 10 men.

Newcastle also have the lowest expected goals tally against (2.6) of any Premier League team so far this season, have faced the fewest shots (37) and are yet to make an error leading to a goal.

Their almost flawless defence has been particularly useful on the road, earning three points in goalless draws at Aston Villa, Leeds and Bournemouth.

Should Newcastle’s attack start to click in conjunction with their defensive solidity, the Magpies should start to climb the Premier League table.

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While his team may be struggling in front of goal so far this season, Eddie Howe's defence has stood firm...

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The question is, should Eddie Howe start new signing Nick Woltemade against Bradford City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, to get him valuable minutes with the team, or should the Germany Under-21 international be wrapped in cotton wool for the Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday?

Thumbs up for yes, thumbs down for no.

Matthew Hobbs
BBC Sport

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Newcastle United face Bradford City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday – the competition they won to end their 70-year domestic trophy drought in March – having so far struggled to score goals this season.

The overriding factor has been the protracted departure of Alexander Isak, who scored the winning goal in the EFL Cup final six months ago – ironically against Liverpool, the club he would go on to join in acrimonious circumstances for a British record fee.

Isak scored 23 goals and provided six assists in last season's Premier League, meaning he was directly involved in more than 40% of Newcastle’s total league goals, scoring 33.85% of them.

Newcastle replaced Isak with the signings of Brentford forward Yoane Wissa and Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade but Wissa was injured on international duty with DR Congo.

Woltemade scored on debut in the 1-0 win against Wolves but Anthony Gordon was preferred as a false nine to start the Champions League defeat against Barcelona.

Newcastle’s tally of three goals after five games is their third fewest at this stage of a Premier League season behind 2005-06 (1) and 2015-16 (2), while their finishing this season is amongst the worst in the league.

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Eddie Howe also spoke about Newcastle's struggles in front of goal - they have scored four in six matches in all competitions this season...

Newcastle United

Right, that's all from Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

A reminder of the top line from his news conference, that summer signing Yoane Wissa is receiving treatment on the knee injury he picked up playing for DR Congo but that "no operation" is needed.

Howe added that he hopes that Wissa will be available following next month's international break and fit to feature in Newcastle's Premier League match against Brighton on 18 October.

Newcastle United

A final word from Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on Carabao Cup opponents Bradford City, who are top of League One with just one defeat and 20 points in their first nine league games: "They are very good, very strong. I have watched them in-depth like I do every opponent and I am full of praise for how they are playing. They have a unique style and it is working for them.

"I think Graham [Alexander, pictured below] has done an outstanding job. He is someone I know well having managed him myself and it is great to see him going into management in the way that he has done. He is very experienced and has over 500 games under his belt and he is doing very well.

"Knowing him as I do, I know he will have done his work on us as well so I think you can expect two very well organised teams.

"They have got clear strengths, they are playing with confidence and they are physically a very good team. Anyone who is winning games regularly and top of their league will be a threat so we will pick a strong team."

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Newcastle United

More from Eddie Howe on why it is important for more players in his Newcastle team to "chip in with goals": "It's up to everybody to chip in with goals and historically we have done that really well. Our defenders last year and the season before were regular goalscorers whether that be from set-plays or open play. We can't be reliant on one department.

"Certainly the creativity of the team has been very strong for us and our full-backs have been some of our best attackers in recent seasons and that has to be the case again."

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was asked if Nick Woltemade should be judged more on Alexander Isak's first season rather than his latter two: "I don't think any comparison to Alex is favourable to any player because I wouldn't do that in other positions. Every player is unique in their own right and Nick is certainly that.

"I thought overall he had a decent game [against Bournemouth] and I think some of his link-play and build-up was really good. He was a focal point in the game that we needed and enabled us to get higher up the pitch and I thought he contributed in a number of ways.

"As a team, we didn't function particularly well in the attacking-half, there is no denying that. We weren't creating chances for him and to a degree, as a centre-forward, you are a reliant on that service and we didn't provide him with enough. The team has to take responsibility for that and we have to take responsibility for that.

"As I said a second ago, I see no reason why we won't score goals."

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