Three blue bloods and an upstart have the best odds to win the national championship as the college basketball season tips off.

Michigan State is the consensus national title favorite. The Spartans are 11-2 at Caesars Sportsbook, followed by Kansas and Kentucky at 6-1, and Memphis at 8-1. Duke and Louisville are 10-1, and North Carolina is 13-1.

No. 1 Michigan State opens its season Tuesday against No. 2 Kentucky in the second game of a doubleheader in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Spartans are 2.5-point favorites. No. 3 Kansas and No. 4 Duke collide in the first game (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Jayhawks are 2-point favorites.

More money has been bet on Michigan State to win the national championship than on any other team at Caesars Sportsbook.

Memphis, however, has seen its odds improve the most during the offseason. The Tigers, coached by former NBA star Penny Hardaway, were 40-1 in May. Now, only Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky have better odds than Memphis.

Louisville also has seen their odds improve significantly. The Cardinals were 30-1 in May and are now 10-1.

Virginia, last season's national champion, is 25-1 to repeat. Among other notable teams, Florida is 16-1; Villanova is 22-1, and Gonzaga is 25-1. Texas Tech, which lost to Virginia in last season's championship game, is 28-1.

Teams that have attracted most money to win national championship (Caesars Sportsbook, Nov. 5):

1. Michigan State

2. Kansas

3. Kentucky

4. Duke

5. Louisville

6. Memphis

7. North Carolina

There are plenty of things the Golden State Warriors don't have right now. There is, however, one valuable thing that they do: clarity.

In a league where being stuck in the between can lead to misery, the Warriors were facing a wait-and-see season. There was how to manage the arrival of D'Angelo Russell, how to manage having minimal roster flexibility because of a hard salary cap, how to manage Klay Thompson's recovery and balancing it with the team's needs.

The injury to Steph Curry has largely removed that burden. Once the shock of making another sad trip to an MRI and then to visit another future Hall of Famer in the recovery room abated, the leaders of the organization started reevaluating and finding positivity.

Suddenly they are being afforded an opportunity to rest their stars, reset their asset base and refresh their worn-down mental state. After all that hubbub about being light years ahead -- the Warriors paid a price for owner Joe Lacob saying that but he wasn't wrong -- the Warriors may end up in a light speed rebuild.

Don't call it "The Process," but "The Hiatus" might be right.

Here is what the Warriors now know they have:

• They have their core players (Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green) still in their primes and all signed to long-term contracts. Will all of these contracts turn out to be good deals? That is unclear, but it's better than worrying about free agency.

• Their 2020 first-round pick. A successful season would've put it in danger of being conveyed to the Nets. Now that appears to be off the table.

• A $17 million trade exception from the Andre Iguodala deal. It almost certainly won't be used during the season because of their cap situation, but it's good until July 7, 2020, opening options for the offseason.

• A new arena with long-term deals on suites and season tickets that assures the top revenue flow in the league, no matter what their record is.

The teams that will finish around the Warriors in the standings this season could only dream of that situation for next year. Yes, they will take a lot of beatings over the coming months. There will be embarrassment, there will be empty seats, there will be schadenfreude. But there is more than light at the end of the tunnel. It's barely even a tunnel.

When Curry went down under Aron Baynes and fractured his hand, there were plenty of comparisons to the San Antonio Spurs in 1996-97, when an injury to former MVP David Robinson led to winning the lottery and a chance to draft Tim Duncan. The Warriors would love to make the comparison ... if only there was a Tim Duncan in the upcoming draft.

Wherever it lands, a lottery pick will be a needed boost. This year's roster reflects how drafting so late year after year has sapped Golden State's depth.

The Warriors can be earnest when they say they acquired Russell because they saw him as a long-term fit. But they can equally be honest when they say their short-term game plan has been altered, and it could ultimately lead them to exploring the trade market for Russell once he becomes eligible to be moved on Dec. 15.

Shortly after Curry went down with injury, Lacob said he didn't plan on tanking. But moving Russell could just be good business, and Lacob, whether it was Monta Ellis or Andrew Bogut or Iguodala, has never been afraid to approve a business-first deal. General Manager Bob Myers and Lacob have done it before, and they could do it again. Russell was well aware of the score when he signed, getting a max contract for his side of the bargain.

There were other teams that wanted Russell before the sign-and-trade deal with Kevin Durant was worked out, one of them being the Minnesota Timberwolves. By the time midseason arrives, there could be a number of suitors depending on how Russell, who will now get the lion's share of shots within the Warriors' offense now, is playing.

If the Warriors decide to investigate the market, some league executives believe it's not unreasonable to think the Warriors could get another first-round pick plus a quality role player for Russell, especially if they're able to construct a deal where they take back salary.

Even if Russell ends up looking like a great fit and the Warriors elect to keep him through the season, he would potentially have just as much value next summer when the free-agent pool is shallow and teams go hunting for talent upgrades. While Myers and Lacob haven't been afraid to make tough deals, they don't often do them midseason. The last midseason trade they made was way back in 2014.

Golden State has other players who could end up on the trade market as well: veterans like Willie Cauley-Stein and Alec Burks. Both signed with expectations of being supporting players on a playoff contender.

With them on the roster, the Warriors don't have the space under the hard cap to add a 15th man. Creating flexibility could enable them to take a look at multiple young players. They are already excited about rookie power forward Eric Paschall, who had 34 points Monday night. Last season they had Kendrick Nunn, who is impressing the whole league currently for the Miami Heat, on their G-League roster but couldn't bring him up as they chased another title. The Heat plucked him away at the end of the season.

This year, finding gold in the G-League will be one of the missions of the front office, and they'll eventually need roster and salary to do it.

The past five years, the Warriors have had only one game plan: winning a title. This year it is something very different: using every possible avenue at their disposal to get back to that mission next year. That starts now.

The first domino in a long and complicated offseason fell for the Red Sox on Monday, as slugger J.D. Martinez decided not to test free agency, meaning Boston's biggest run producer in recent years will be back for at least one more season -- presuming he isn't traded first.

Questions about the designated hitter's future loomed for months dating back to the summer, and they heated up when Boston began falling out of playoff contention. Martinez, 32, has three years and $62.5 million left on his contract, putting Chaim Bloom, Boston's new chief baseball officer, in position to make the first major decisions of his tenure, with the ramifications of Martinez's decision generating ripple effects throughout the organization.

A major theme of Boston's offseason is owner John Henry's publicly stated desire to reduce the team's payroll under next year's luxury tax threshold of $208 million. The Red Sox led the majors in payroll the past two seasons, which includes their World Series title run in 2018.

Here are a few questions Martinez's opt-in raises:

What did Martinez decide and why?

Martinez negotiated the ability to opt out of his contract before each of the last three seasons of the five-year, $110 million deal he signed before the 2018 season. With Martinez opting in, at least for one more season, Boston retains one of the elite sluggers in baseball, one who has hit 317/.392/.593 with 79 homers, 70 doubles and 235 RBIs in 296 games the past two seasons. Still, those luxury tax issues remain.

Boston owes Martinez $23.75 million for 2020, and will likely face the same opt-out dance next offseason, when Martinez can once again test free agency. Martinez's entire $23.75 million salary will count against Boston's luxury tax bill, versus his average annual salary of $22 million because the final two years of the slugger's contract are conditional on health.

Why is it good or bad for Boston -- and what impact does it have on Mookie Betts?

Martinez's decision to stay shifts the direction of Boston's offseason. Bloom could look to trade Martinez, a move that would save more money for the organization than an opt-out would have, since there'd be no $2.5 million buyout involved. Bloom could also look to make the difficult decision and explore a trade for Mookie Betts, although any decision to trade the four-time Gold Glove outfielder and 2018 AL MVP would likely be for cents on the dollar and mean trading the most popular active athlete in Boston whose name isn't Tom Brady. Betts is entering the final season of his contract with the Red Sox, primed to make around $30 million in 2020.

Bloom could also explore the trade market for the team's starting pitching, with Chris Sale's five-year, $145 million extension kicking in at the start of 2020, Nathan Eovaldi owed $68 million over three years and David Price on the payroll for another three years and $96 million. All have injury concerns of varying degrees, though a recent report from the Dallas Morning News suggested the Texas Rangers have had internal discussions about pursuing a Boston starter via trade.

What is the No. 1 priority for Boston now that Martinez is back?

Regardless of whether or not he stayed, Martinez was not going to be the No. 1 priority in an offseason where Boston's two other biggest quandaries -- figuring out Betts' future and the luxury tax situation -- dominate. Had Martinez opted out, Boston likely would have let their cleanup hitter walk in free agency, given the plethora of bats on the open market who would cost less and still produce runs.

Still, the impact of Martinez's bat in the middle of Boston's lineup can't be overstated. Following the retirement of David Ortiz, who hit .315/.401/.620 with 38 homers and 48 doubles in his age 40 season, Boston slid Hanley Ramirez into the DH slot in 2017, where he hit .242/.320/.429 with 23 homers, while the top of the lineup took a step back. Betts hit .264 a season after finishing as MVP runner-up and Xander Bogaerts hit just 10 homers in 148 games. Martinez has locked down the middle of the lineup, and in 2020, Boston will look for increased production from Andrew Benintendi, while others, like Rafael Devers and Bogaerts, will need to maintain their outputs from their breakout 2019 seasons.

But Boston's highest-profile priority remains the future of Betts in Boston. Bloom didn't tip his hand in regard to Betts or Martinez during his introductory news conference, but he echoed the message of ownership, which wants to build an organization that emphasizes the long view.

"I would say generally, our top priority is going to be sustainability and competitiveness over the long term," Bloom said. "And that could take many forms, but that's really going to be the top priority as we think about moves. With respect to those two guys, I'm just coming in here and there's a lot that I don't know, and I'm looking forward to building relationships with them and learning a little bit more about them from everybody here."

New Zealand cross-code star Sonny Bill Williams is set to join Super League newcomers Toronto Wolfpack on a two-year deal.

Williams will be a marquee player and has agreed a reported multi-million pound deal to return to rugby league.

The 34-year-old was a member of the All Blacks side who finished third at rugby union's World Cup in Japan last week.

A two-time World Cup-winner in rugby union, he won two Australian NRL titles in rugby league.

The Wolfpack were promoted to Super League for the first time after winning the Million Pound Game last month.

That came just three years after forming, meaning top flight rugby league will be played in North America for the first time in 2020.

The Canadian side start their Super League campaign against Castleford Tigers on 2 February.

Williams has had two spells in rugby league, with Australian sides Canterbury Bulldogs from 2004-08 and Sydney Roosters from 2013-14, winning the NRL title with both.

A back in union but a forward in league, he played in New Zealand's loss to Australia in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final.

Later that year he was named Rugby League International Federation player of the year, and has been capped 12 times by New Zealand's rugby league team.

He moved to rugby union in 2010 and had spells with French side Toulon and New Zealand Super Rugby sides the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues.

Williams played 58 times for the All Blacks, winning the World Cup in 2011 and 2015.

He has also boxed professionally, winning all seven of his fights, and held the World Boxing Association International heavyweight title and New Zealand Professional Boxing Association heavyweight title.

Premiership and European champions Saracens have been docked 35 points for breaching salary cap regulations.

The punishment comes after an investigation into business partnerships between chairman Nigel Wray and some of the club's players.

Saracens have also been fined £5.36m, with the points deduction coming into immediate effect in the Premiership.

The charges relate to a failure to disclose player payments in each of the 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

In the five seasons that Saracens have finished as Premiership champions, a 35-point deduction would have meant they would not have reached the play-offs. They would have finished 10th last season had the same punishment been imposed in 2018-19.

Saracens, who have won two of their three Premiership matches so far this season, are entitled to seek a review of the decision by an arbitration body.

Premiership Rugby introduced their salary cap in 1999 to ensure the financial viability of all clubs and the competition.

The regulations are also designed to control inflationary pressures on clubs' costs and provide a level playing field for clubs and a competitive Premiership.

More to follow.

Italian striker Mario Balotelli has hit back at Hellas Verona fans who allegedly insulted him with monkey noises during a Serie A match on Sunday after one of their leaders said it was merely part of their "irreverent" nature.

Balotelli, playing for Brescia, threatened to walk off the pitch after hearing monkey chants from the stands during the second half of his side's 2-1 defeat but was dissuaded by players from both teams.

In the latest in a long line of racist incidents to hit Serie A, play was interrupted by the referee for nearly five minutes while announcements were made to the crowd.

On Monday, Verona-based Radio Cafe interviewed a man identified as Verona ultras leader Luca Castellini who played down the incidents and said that Balotelli had been "clowning around."

"We have an identity culture of a certain kind, we are irreverent supporters," Castellini said. "We make fun of bald players, the one with long hair, the southern player and the player of colour but not with political or racist instincts. This is folklore, it stops all there."

He added: "Balotelli's Italian because he has Italian citizenship, but he can never be completely Italian."

Balotelli, born to Ghanaian parents in Sicily and then given up for adoption to an Italian family when he was three, said the comments had nothing to do with football.

"You're referring to social and historical situations that are bigger than you small-minded people. Here you are, going crazy, ignorant... You are the ruin," he said on Instagram.

"But when Mario was doing it, and I guarantee you he will still score for Italy, it was fine, wasn't it?"

Balotelli has suffered racist abuse throughout his career. When he played for Inter Milan, he was taunted by rival fans with shouts of "there are no black Italians" and he suffered more insults playing for AC Milan against AS Roma in 2013.

Serie A's disciplinary committee is expected to deal with the incident on Tuesday although it has avoided sanctions in similar recent cases, saying the alleged chanting was of limited perception and could therefore not be considered a break of league rules.

"There is no avoiding it: if someone makes the sound of a monkey to a player because he's black, that's racism," the Italian players' union head Damiano Tommasi told the ANSA news agency. "Even if it's just one or two, it's too many."

Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte supported Balotelli and said the authorities must take action against those responsible for the abuse.

"I was not in the stadium, but I believe it is necessary to be very strict and inflexible," he said. "We must punish these ignorant people. The morons must be punished. It is absurd that, in 2019, we are still faced with things like this."

Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti also said the striker showed the "right reaction," while Roma tweeted their support for Balotelli and urged people to stand up against racism.

Sachin Tendulkar has suggested tweaking one-day cricket in order to promote a greater balance between bat and ball. He believed that having "two innings of 25 overs per side" could boost the interest among the spectators as well as the broadcasters.

This wasn't the first time that Sachin was in favour of tinkering with 50-over cricket. He had mooted the same idea of splitting a one-day match into four innings of 25 each in 2009. The ICC even considered the idea, but it wasn't implemented in the end.

"The 50-over format is the first thing that needs a look-in," Tendulkar told The Times of India. "As I had suggested, the format needs a tweak of two innings of 25 overs per side with a 15-minute break between each innings (a total of four innings between two teams). The number of innovations that can be brought in are huge.

"Let's say there's a 50-over-a-side match between Team A and Team B. Team A wins the toss, bats 25 overs; then team B bats for 25 overs; Team A resumes innings (with whatever wickets left) from the 26th over; Team B then resumes the last innings to chase the target. If Team A has lost all their wickets within the first 25 overs itself, then Team B gets 50 overs (25 overs plus 25 overs with a break) to chase the target."

Tendulkar explained how his proposal could help deal with dew, that often hinders the team bowling second, resulting in a more even contest. "There's always a chance to come back into the game," he said. "In a regular 50-over format, if a side wins toss and there's dew, the side bowling second has no chance. The wet ball just skids on to the bat and it's never a fair battle".

In the recent 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru and Vadodara, wet weather affected a number of matches, forcing them to be abandoned. Rain also affected the quarter-final clashes, denying Mumbai and Punjab cracks at the semi-final. Tendulkar believed splitting the 50-over game could help avoid such no results.

"Frankly none of us understood Duckworth & Lewis," he said. "I think only those two gentlemen understood it. Look at the recent Vijay Hazare game washout, when Mumbai bowed out. Nobody likes a no-result contest."

Tendulkar also suggested that the first five overs of each set of 25 overs could constitute the Powerplay as opposed to ten overs first-up. He proposed that the bowling side could take three overs of a Powerplay whenever they want, which leaves two overs with the batting side.

"The six extra balls for bowling Powerplay will balance the battle between the bat and ball," he said. "It'll be exciting for the viewers because teams will constantly rethink strategies.

"If a batting side has consumed seven overs of Powerplay (five mandatory and remaining two), and have a pinch-hitter waiting to come out yet, they could hold the batsman back until the fresh mandatory Powerplay will begin from the 26th over. Or, if the bowling Powerplay is on and two offspinners are on strike and batting side loses a wicket, a 'nightwatchman' can walk out to see off those overs".

A day after the 50-over Deodhar Trophy final, Tendulkar questioned the relevance of that tournament along with the four-day Duleep Trophy and 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

"Look at the Challenger. Players come from different states, zones, play together for a few days and disperse," he said. "There's no team bonding. Do we even remember these games? Teams are randomly chosen. The same applies to the Duleep Trophy in certain ways. It doesn't serve any purpose when players arrive overnight from different zones and play a few matches and go their separate ways.

"It's [Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy's] the same format. The IPL is serving that purpose and is getting revenue too, which is important."

What does the end of the World Cup signify for players?

Elation for a few, disappointment for most, but for all a parting of ways of team-mates who have formed a special bond during an unforgettable tournament.

Some of those trips back home take contrasting routes, like those of Samoa internationals Kieron Fonotia and Belgium Tuatagaloa.

Centre Fonotia is straight back to a Scarlets team who are flying in the Pro14 with four wins from five.

Wing Tuatagaloa is currently without a club contract after being made to choose between club and country by a French team reluctant to support his international ambitions.

So he is straight back to sevens duties as an under-resourced Samoa try to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

"I got offered a contract playing for a Pro D2 club in France but once I told them I wanted to play for Samoa, they didn't want to support that," said Tuatagaloa.

"They said it's too hard a prospect to work with. I declined the offer and despite the results in the World Cup, it's the best decision I've ever made."

Whilst the Samoans' pride in the jersey is unquestionable, the results have been underwhelming.

Samoa's only win in the tournament came against Russia as Fonotia featured as a substitute in three pool games.

Whilst he admits to feeling "sour" at limited opportunities, the Scarlets centre is keen to address a much more deep-rooted problem.

"I'd like to have the chance to all stick together and spend a bit of time with each other," he said at the Parc y Scarlets training facility in Llanelli.

"You go into a team and you've never played with a guy before or seen him play.

"There's no consistency. Coaches change a lot, since I've been there there's been three head coaches.

"If they stick with some of the same people you may start seeing better results because you look at the talent pool and there are players there."

The disillusion in his voice is clear and he admits he is not sure if he will play international rugby again.

Current Samoa coach Steve Jackson was appointed 11 months before the start of the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

That followed previous coach Fuimaono Titimaea Tafua being forced to re-apply for - and fail to get - his job due to shortcomings in the original recruitment process.

The Samoan Rugby Union declined a request for an interview with Jackson, citing his 'uncertain future' with Samoa as the reason. His position is up for review in November.

Whilst Tuatagaloa admits the SRU could do more to help themselves, he is also calling on the aid of other nations and would love to see more Tests against tougher opposition.

"It would honestly be a dream come true to have England in Samoa. If only to give our younger generation a chance to see them play," he said.

Samoa played only six tests against Tier One nations in the four years leading up to the World Cup.

Even when they do secure away fixtures, Tier One host nations are under no obligation to share gate receipts with touring teams. England have never played in Samoa.

Fair share of funding?

Funding, profit share models, relaxing eligibility rules to allow Pacific stars who have already played for other nations to come back and play for their home nations are all avenues to be explored, as is the possibility of creating professional teams in Super Rugby and changing that league's contractual demands.

But according to former Samoa forward Dan Leo, who is the CEO of Pacific Rugby Welfare, it all starts with altering funding models.

"The profits from world rugby are upside down. Roughly 55% of the profit gets reinvested back to the top 10 sides, it should be spun on its head.

"There's currently no compensation for Samoans when you play international rugby, unlike the Welsh.

It's only club contacts which puts bread on the table. It means clubs are less incentivised to sign Pacific players. Rugby's a business these days.

"When it comes to gate receipts even a 5% share would be massive from Tier One nations, but the reality is they invest their profit into their own market. The only people who have a mandate to grow the game are World Rugby."

Samoa is a team with a rich rugby history.

It is the country that produced legends like Michael Jones, Frank Bunce and Pat Lam.

Its team knocked Wales out of the pool stages in the 1991 World Cup and also beat them in Cardiff in 1999.

They have beaten Scotland and Italy as well as Australia in their own backyard.

For Leo, Samoan rugby "has fallen off a cliff".

Fonotia says he is happy to leave the problem in others' hands for now and concentrate on playing domestic rugby in Wales

"Disneyland under Brad Mooar"

"It's good to come to a whole different environment with the Scarlets, it's a real positive environment to be a part of.

"Everyone's super excited and there's real good things happening behind the scenes.

(Coach) Brad Mooar brings so much energy and excitement, every day is another day in Disneyland under Brad Mooar. It's exciting to work with a friend again."

It may not be the Magic Kingdom yet for Tuatagaola who is currently working hard to secure a professional contract.

"We are currently in talks, but for now it's good to be back with the sevens boys," he said.

"Whichever code, I can't wait to pull on the jersey and play again."

LIVERPOOL -- Alisson Becker apologised for his language when dissecting Liverpool's defensive record this season but his facial expression suggested that the words he chose weren't strong enough.

"It always annoys me when we concede stupid goals," the goalkeeper said when asked about the club's lack of clean sheets ahead of Tuesday's Champions League encounter against Genk at Anfield. "Sorry about the word, but when we concede in a stupid way, this annoys me and annoys my teammates also."

The European champions have not yet secured a shutout in the competition in 2019-20, conceding six goals in their three group games so far. And while that is just one more than they let in at the same stage of last year's triumphant Champions League campaign, a wider look across all competitions doesn't reveal more positive findings.

Liverpool's defence has been breached 20 times in 16 games this season, across all competitions, with only three clean sheets. By contrast, the Merseysiders had only conceded eight times over the same period in 2018-19. It would be easy for Liverpool to shrug off the numbers and point to the fact that they're odds-on favourites to qualify from their continental group, before then highlighting their status as Premier League leaders. But as a team that demands the highest standards, the increase of goals against them has been visibly frustrating.

"When we enter the pitch we always have a common goal: that is win the game and keep a clean sheet," Alisson, who helped Liverpool record 34 shutouts in 51 games last season, admitted. "When you keep a clean sheet you are closer to the victory, at least you have a draw. We can work better on that aspect.

"When you concede a goal in a difficult moment, in a moment that the team needs you to keep a clean sheet, the games become more difficult. So we need to work better on that if we want to do great things this season."

Alisson's calf injury, picked up 40 minutes into the season during the 4-1 win over Norwich City in the Premier League opener, is one of the explanations behind Liverpool's bloated goals against column. Adrian, who had only joined Liverpool as the Brazil international's deputy, was forced into action after minimal training sessions and without having a preseason or the chance to build chemistry with the team. While he performed excellently -- earning hero status during the UEFA Super Cup final victory -- and being near faultless following the September international break after extended time on the Melwood pitches, there were understandably initial hiccups.

At centre-back, meanwhile, Joe Gomez has not yet recaptured the form that saw him nail down the spot next to Virgil van Dijk following a lengthy ankle setback. Joel Matip, who has stepped up to partner the Ballon d'Or frontrunner, is now nursing a knee injury, elevating fourth-choice Dejan Lovren back into the starting XI. These unforeseen changes in personnel doesn't aid consistency and opponents have picked up on it, unsettling Liverpool by restricting the influence of their full-backs, most notably Manchester United in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford and in the narrow win at Sheffield United.

Alisson has pinpointed another issue: keeping their focus. He referenced the 4-1 victory at Genk at the Luminus Arena last month, where Liverpool switched off and let the hosts in late on for a consolation goal.

"Sometimes you have a quality opponent and when they score using [their skill] and you can't do anything different, it's OK. You need to accept that it's part of the game. But I think we can do better in the concentration aspect," the 27-year-old explained. "For example, against Genk we conceded a goal in the 85th minute so that annoyed me, it annoyed everyone on the team because we need to keep focus and keep your goals advantage.

"If you're winning by one goal and you concede in that moment, the game is pretty much finished: you cannot do something different. Sometimes you have no time. We need to learn from these moments to make sure it will not happen again."

Jurgen Klopp agreed with his goalkeeper's sentiments on Monday but given that his Liverpool side has only suffered one loss this season, away to Napoli, he was quick to note "it's only 11 matches. Yes, it feels much longer, but it is only 11 games. We always try to improve, but our main target cannot be now clean sheets."

Liverpool still have the second-best defensive record in England's top-flight, bettered by Leicester City and Sheffield United, who have conceded a goal less. They remain one of the best teams around when it comes to denying their opponents clear scoring opportunities, with Klopp highlighting after Saturday's 2-1 win at Aston Villa that "for little mistakes, we've got really big knocks."

There has been no noticeable trend in how Liverpool have been breached, either.

"The goals we conceded were all different," the Reds boss said. "Against Tottenham, it was their first attack, deflected ball, crossbar... For me, it is more important opponents don't create against us a lot. If they score with the one chance they have, it is not nice but it is nothing you can really work on.

"Of course, we don't want to concede goals -- it's as easy as that -- and as a goalkeeper, I can imagine it annoys 'Ali.' In the end, he is as happy as all the others when we win the games and is not too bothered too much about the clean sheet or whatever. We will have clean sheets during the season, I am 100% sure, and there will be a moment when we defend all the situations better again."

Alisson will expect the "stupid goals" to cease being a problem starting against Genk on Tuesday before the top-of-the-table showdown with Manchester City on the weekend.