Antonio Conte needs to instil "aggressiveness" in his squad in order to transform "fragile" Tottenham into a force to be reckoned with, according to Louis Saha.

The Italian, who has won major honours with the likes of Inter, Juventus and Chelsea, admitted he was facing the "biggest challenge" of his career at Spurs.

He has inherited a side in decline, with last season's seventh-placed finish their lowest since 2008-09.

After the failed reign of Jose Mourinho and the ill-fated stint of Nuno Espirito Santo, it is Conte's job to revive Tottenham's fortunes, with a return of 10 points from his first four Premier League games hinting at a brighter future to come.

But a chastening loss to Slovenian minnows Mura in the Conference League – a competition in which Spurs' fate remains unknown amid a coronavirus-enforced cancellation of their final group match against Rennes – underlined the frailties still present.

And Saha, who spent a brief spell at Spurs in 2012, outlined the scale task Conte had taken on.

"I think that there are still a lot of things to be done in Tottenham. It's a bit similar to Arsenal," the former Manchester United forward told Stats Perform.

"They are fragile in terms of the squad. They are fragile in terms of consistency, whoever the manager.

"The manager is not playing. He can give you aggressiveness. But if the players themselves are not aggressive, you can't change them. That's their nature.

"Sometimes...you have great players, but they are too nice in some way. And they do not provide what you need to win tough games.

"I'm not saying that they need to be fighters. But I remember, for example, I was playing with Carlos Tevez, with [Ruud] Van Nistelrooy, with [Wayne] Rooney and we were all different, but I felt that they were very aggressive and sometimes I see the players some teams have, when you play away, you need that type of player.

"I don't know if there are enough players like that in such a squad. I'm not trying to compare, but I think it's an indication."

Next up for Conte's side, who are seventh but only three points outside the top four with two games in hand, is Thursday's trip to Leicester City.

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has labelled Monday's 30-23 win over division rivals the Arizona Cardinals as "big" but says it will mean little if they do not continue to improve.

The Rams toppled the Cardinals, who are ahead of them in the NFC West, to improve their record to 9-4, while Arizona go to 10-3.

Stafford's side had lost three in a row against the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers before winning their past two and refused to get carried away.

"Obviously it's big. Obviously it's a great win for us but at the same time we've got to make it worth something," Stafford told ESPN after the game. "We win this one and don’t take care of business in other weeks, then it don't mean much.

"We're on to the next one. This is a nice win for us, a division opponent, at a tough place to play, without some big-time key players, it's a good win to get but we've got to continue to get some more of them."

Stafford had three touchdown passes, completing 23 of 30 attempts for 287 yards. He has an NFL-high six games without three TD passes and no interceptions this season, ahead of Kirk Cousins, Justin Herbert and Aaron Rodgers with four.

The win came with the Rams without five players due to COVID-19 protocols, including Jalen Ramsey and Tyler Higbee who were both ruled out on the day of the game. Rob Havenstein, Dont'e Deayon and running back Darrell Henderson were also unavailable.

"It's a total team win," Stafford added. "A lot of adversity this week and today with some stuff going on with the players and personnel, I'm just proud of our team and our coach, and everyone sticking together. Getting one at their place, it's a tough place to play."

Rams head coach Sean McVay reiterated Stafford's comments, with the side scheduled to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday after they had managed back-to-back wins.

"It's a measuring stick for tonight. I thought the guys answered the bell," McVay said at the post-game news conference. "We've talked about it throughout the course of the year, how do we build on this, this is one night, we'll enjoy this but we've got a short week.

"Seattle has really gotten rolling over these last couple of weeks. Big win over San Fran, they looked good versus the Texans yesterday. Really pleased with these guys but we want to continue to be totally and completely present. Enjoy this but let's keep building on it.

"That's what the good teams do, they get better in the month of December. That's our goal, you've got to continue to be relevant but you want to make sure that you're improving so if you do give yourself an opportunity to play after the regular season, you're playing your best ball."

The loss is Arizona's third in a row at home and they were left to bemoan their final possession, having got within seven points, as quarterback Kyler Murray ran out of options with the clock ticking down, before being sacked for a third time by Aaron Donald.

On the final play, Murray said: "It was a miscommunication between me and the line. They thought it was a spike. It was a heat of the moment deal. I don’t even recall what was being said in the helmet."

Stephen Curry moved within two three-pointers of breaking Ray Allen's all-time NBA record as the Golden State Warriors edged the Indiana Pacers 102-100 on Monday.

Curry finished the game with 26 points including five triples to close in on Allen's record of 2,973 three-point attempts made. The two-time MVP will look to break the mark on Tuesday against the New York Knicks.

Domantas Sabonis scored 30 points with 11 rebounds for the Pacers, who led late before Curry, who shot at 33 percent from beyond the arc, hit his fifth three-point attempt to narrow the margin.

Curry had another attempt from beyond the arc rim out, with Kevin Looney's putback giving Golden State the lead with 13.4 seconds left.

Gary Payton II's defense on Caris LeVert forced a late turnover to seal the win for the Warriors who improve to 22-5, ahead of Curry's next attempt at breaking the record in New York.

Tatum downs depleted Bucks

Jayson Tatum hit seven three-pointers as he finished with 42 points in the Boston Celtics' 117-103 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. The reigning champions lost Khris Middleton to a left knee hyper-extension in the third quarter, while Giannis Antetokounmpo was kept relatively quiet with 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

The Philadelphia 76ers missed Joel Embiid who was out with rib soreness, going down 126-91 to the Memphis Grizzlies, while reigning MVP Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets past the Washington Wizards 113-107 with 28 points, 19 rebounds and nine assists.

Trae Young scored 41 points with nine assists but it could not prevent the Atlanta Hawks from losing 132-126 to the resurgent Houston Rockets. Eric Gordon netted 32 points for Houston who came from 19 points down with a 38-21 fourth quarter.

CP3 struggles as Suns stumble

Chris Paul could not find his stride against his former franchise, struggling for nine points shooting at under 30 percent with eight assists in the Phoenix Suns' 111-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Suns, who are 21-5, were without Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker.

Khris Middleton suffered a hyperextended left knee in Monday's 117-103 loss to the Boston Celtics which the Milwaukee Bucks are praying is not a serious injury.

Middleton landed awkwardly upon contact with team-mate Rodney Hood attempting to rebound late in the third quarter, before limping off the court moments later after trying to play on.

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said they would wait until Tuesday to make a determination on the severity of the injury to the 2020-21 NBA champion.

"I think we're terming it a left knee hyper-extension," Budenholzer said at the post-game news conference.

"We'll know more tomorrow but I think there's some hope it's not serious, but you've got to wait and give it time."

Middleton had four points with eight rebounds and three assists on the night, succumbing to injury after 24 minutes on court.

The 30-year-old small forward is averaging 18.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game this season. Middleton averaged 20.4 points in the Bucks' title-winning season.

The defeat to the Celtics leaves the reigning champions with an 18-11 record and third spot in the Eastern Conference.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 41 points on Friday and had a triple-double on Sunday but managed only 20 points with eight rebounds and three assists.

"I think we've got to space around him a little bit better," Budenholzer said. "Move him a little bit more. It was a tough night for us, sometimes that happens."

Budenholzer also refused to blame the Bucks' recent heavy schedule with three games in four days.

"Credit to Boston, they played well tonight," he said. "I think we weren’t at our best. Whatever the reasons are, we've got to be better."

The under-manned Los Angeles Rams have claimed a major win in the NFC West after beating the Arizona Cardinals 30-23 as Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes on Monday.

After scores were locked at 13-13 at half-time, Stafford threw TD passes for Van Jefferson and Cooper Kupp. Stafford completed 23 of 30 attempts for 287 yards for the Rams who had five players out with COVID-19 protocols.

Kupp had a career-high 13 catches for 123 yards for the Rams, who improve to 9-4 to sit second in the NFC West behind the Cardinals who slip to 10-3.

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray had no touchdown passes, completing 32 of 49 attempts for 383 yards with two interceptions, with James Conner scoring both of their TDs rushing while he also had nine receptions for 94 yards.

Stafford found Odell Beckham Jr for a second-quarter touchdown, with Conner rushing through the middle to square it up before half-time.

The Rams QB found Jefferson for a 52-yard TD before a pinpoint pass for Kupp to make it 27-13 at the final change.

Conner's eight-yarn touchdown run narrowed the margin before a late Matt Prater field goal and a Zaven Collins' onside kick recovery gave the Cardinals hope but Murray could not capitalize with Aaron Donald claiming his third sack for the game on the final possession.

Salzburg starlet Karim Adeyemi says he would love to one day join Barcelona but the player's agent has ruled that out in the near future.

The 19-year-old German striker has been linked with several clubs, including Barcelona along with Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund.

Adeyemi attended the Golden Boy ceremony in Turin on Monday where he claimed the web-voted prize, with Pedri winning the major award.

"Barca is a great club, it is a source of pride that they love me and of course I can see myself playing there if given the option," Adeyemi told reporters after the Golden Boy ceremony.

"Now they are feeling the departure of Messi but they will always be in the Champions League."

Adeyemi also clarified that he had not spoken to Barcelona president Joan Laporta who attended the function.

However, Adeyemi's agent Thomas Salomon came out after his player's comments, ruling out a Barcelona move in the near future.

"A few days ago we said 'no' definitively to Barca's proposal for Adeyemi," Salomon said according to Sport. "Barca is no longer an option for Karim. The best thing for him is a German club."

He continued: "They [Barcelona] made a proposal to us, but they never came to present anything to Salzburg."

Salomon did clarify that Adeyemi could potentially move to Camp Nou at another point in his career, keeping his options open.

"In two or three years we will see what can happen," he said.

Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr both admit they regret fueling the focus around the two-time MVP breaking Ray Allen's all-time three-point record.

Curry drained five three-pointers as the Warriors defeated the Indiana Pacers 102-100 on Monday to move within two triples of breaking Allen's all-time record of 2,973 for three-point attempts made.

The Warriors guard shot at 40 percent from the field against the Pacers, including five of 15 from three-point range to finish with 26 points.

Curry has gradually closed in on the record, although Curry and Kerr both fueled the hype last week when he was 16 three-pointers off the record, when they said it was possible he could do it in one game.

The 33-year-old came out and shot six of 17 from beyond the arc against the Portland Trail Blazers in the next game, followed by three of 14 from three-point range against the Philadelphia 76ers, and admitted regret at the "extra tension" those comments created.

"Those shots I took, those first four [against Portland] I missed all four, I would shoot those whether it was Game 1, Game 82, the playoffs," Curry told reporters after Monday's shootaround prior to the Pacers game.

"That's how you approach the game. It just had a different context to it. It feels a little bit different now knowing we're right there. It will happen when it happens and I'll enjoy it when it does."

Curry added: "I realise how much work's gone into it, but there is a lot of tension and emotion. "Even from the last home game, the schedule's kind of provided a little extra emphasis, seeing if I could do it before we came on this road trip.

"But after that when I get on the floor I'm just playing basketball having a good time, trying to win games in the process. Obviously, I'd like to shoot the ball better, play better. I know that's going to happen and the record will come as a part of that, but just enjoying the process."

Kerr admitted his own regrets after flippantly feeding into the narrative when asked if Curry could break Klay Thompson's record of 14 triples in one game to go past Allen's all-time record.

"There hasn't been stress for our team," Kerr said at the pre-game news conference on Monday. "I would say it's been a slight distraction.

"I told the media in Philadelphia the other night, I fed into it because somebody asked me if Steph could break it at home against Portland with 16 threes and I said, 'Sure,' because nothing Steph does surprises me. But that fed into the narrative - he came out and took 17 threes that night, our crowd was going crazy from the very beginning. And I'm shaking my head thinking, what the hell did I just do?

"I think the most important thing is we just have to settle in and it's going to happen obviously pretty soon. We just have to get into a rhythm.

"We haven't been great offensively over the last five or six games… it's more likely that he'll make more threes if our team's in a good rhythm and we're just playing."

New Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has revealed he was graciously congratulated by both Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff following Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix triumph.

The Dutchman ripped his first-ever world championship from Hamilton's grasp after overtaking the Briton on the final lap in Abu Dhabi after a controversial late-race safety car period.

Mercedes protested twice about the circumstances around Verstappen's triumph after Hamilton appeared to be coasting to victory with an 11-second lead with 10 laps to go.

Despite that, Red Bull driver Verstappen said that Hamilton and Wolff had been gracious in defeat.

"Toto sent me a text - congratulations on the season and that I deserved to win, that was very nice," Verstappen said.

Verstappen added: "Lewis is a great sportsman in general."

He continued: "Of course it helps if you have already seven titles," Verstappen said. "That comforts him a bit. I think if it was the other way around, it would have been more painful for me because I didn't have one.

"Lewis came up to me and congratulated me. It must have been very tough in that last lap. It also shows the respect we have for each other.

"Of course we had our tough times through the season but we respect what we're doing and we were pushing each other to the limit and it has been very enjoyable racing against him."

Meanwhile, a message aired via car on-board channels has surfaced with Hamilton claiming on radio message "this has been manipulated" with four corners to go when trailing Verstappen on the final lap.

Hamilton made the remark to race engineer Peter Bonnington, angered by Race Control's handling of the safety car restart with only the five lapped cars between the seven-time world champion and Verstappen permitted to be overtaken, allowing the Dutchman a clear run in the final lap.

Manchester United's Premier League game against Brentford on Tuesday has been postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak among the Red Devils players and staff.

United confirmed on Monday that the club's Carrington Training Complex would be closed for 24 hours "to minimise risk of any further infection".

The Premier League Board announced the decision to postpone the game, which is clarified in a statement was made "following guidance from medical advisers".

Manchester United said in a statement: "Given cancellation of training and disruption to the squad, and with the health of players and staff the priority, the Club requested the match to be rearranged. The Premier League Board took the decision to postpone based on guidance from medical advisors."

Sunday's top-flight match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Tottenham was also postponed after several confirmed positives among players and staff at the London club.

The pair of postponed games come as the Premier League recorded its highest figures of COVID-19 cases for a seven-day period after 42 positive tests were returned, surpassing the 40 from January. The results come from a total of 3,805 tests carried out in the week of December 6-12.

The Premier League added in a statement: "With the health of players and staff the priority, and in light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across the country, the Premier League has reintroduced Emergency Measures.

"These include protocols such as more frequent testing, wearing face coverings while indoors, observing social distancing and limiting treatment time."

Although the details of players and staff affected are not divulged, Tottenham, Manchester United, Leicester City, Brighton and Aston Villa have all revealed they have cases.

Former Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has agreed to replace Grant Fox as an independent New Zealand selector.

Fox will step down from the role after the Steinlager Series next year, having been a selector for a decade.

Schmidt will take up his position with the All Blacks and assist in selecting the squad for the Rugby Championship after finishing his part-time duties working with the Blues in the Super Rugby Pacific competition.

New Zealand head coach Ian Foster said Schmidt is a shrewd appointment.

Foster said: "Joe will bring a wealth of New Zealand and international experience into the role, so we are delighted to have him join us.

"He will work closely with me and ‘Plums’ [ fellow selector John Plumtree] on selections but his insights will be valuable in other areas as well, so we look forward to having him join us."

The experienced Schmidt said: "It's humbling to be involved and I'm looking forward to learning more about the players and the All Blacks environment and helping out as best I can."

Pedri is living the dream at Barcelona and hopes to lead the beleaguered club back to glory after receiving his Golden Boy award on Monday.

The 19-year-old was a landslide victor in last month's voting for Europe's best player aged under 21, beating runner-up Jude Bellingham by a record-breaking 199-point margin.

He enjoyed a breakthrough season at Camp Nou after making his debut in September and went on to feature in more games (52) than any other Barca player.

Pedri then became the youngest player to represent Spain at a major tournament during Euro 2020, finishing with more passes completed in the final third (177) than any player.

The Las Palmas academy product followed that up by travelling to Tokyo for the Olympic Games and helping his country win a silver medal. 

However, Pedri's rise to prominence has come during a difficult period for Barca, who exited the Champions League at the group stage last week and are eighth in LaLiga.

The teenager, who is currently sidelined with a niggling thigh problem, accepts it is down to him and his team-mates to turn things around.

"Being at Barcelona is a dream for me," he said. "This is the best club in the world, though we must start to show that on the pitch and lead Barca to glory, which we deserve.

"I am at the club I've always wanted to be at. For that I thank president Joan Laporta. It is a club I love and one that gives me maximum happiness."

Pedri is the first Barcelona player to win the trophy – which was awarded to Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland last year – since Cesc Fabregas in 2006.

Real Madrid midfielder Isco is the only other Spanish player to have collected the award since its inception in 2003.

Barca sports director Jordi Cruyff was also at the ceremony on Monday and said: "Pedri has personality, He has shown it at a big club with pressure. 

"He asks for the ball in difficult situations and has a great future. He deserves the award. He makes his family happy and Barcelona happy."

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was named the Golden Man winner, meanwhile, and Barcelona's Lieke Martens collected the Golden Woman award.

The Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony will be staged along the River Seine with bumper crowds of up to 600,000 expected to attend, organisers have confirmed.

It will be the first Games to have an opening ceremony not take place in a stadium.

There will be in excess of 160 boats carrying athletes and officials representing more than 200 nations, with a six-kilometre journey between the Pont d'Austerlitz and Pont d'Iena bridges in the French capital.

Organisers said there will be 80 giant screens, with tickets for the lower part of the bank but free entry for the upper parts.

The closing ceremony will take place at the gardens of the Trocadero that overlook the Eiffel Tower.

"The Games is a unique, once-in-a lifetime experience," said Tony Estanguet, head of the organising committee.

"We want people to feel it. [The boats] will pass along the iconic landmarks of Paris - Notre Dame, the Orsay and Louvre museums, the Pont Neuf [Paris's oldest bridge], the Pont Alexandre III, the Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower.

"It will be the first time people have free access to the opening ceremony, and not just in a stadium. It will also be a popular event."

The Paris Games take place between July 26 and August 11.