AMSTERDAM – Tim Howard and Everton kicked off their first Premier League win streak since April on Sunday, topping nearby hosts Burnley 3-1 to vault into the better half of the table.
The US star-on-hiatus required just two saves and a single cross claim to stop a two-game road slide for the Toffees, with two of his intrusions coming in the final 10 minutes. Howard was only beaten when Romelu Lukaku absent-mindedly gifted Burnley forward Lukas Jutkiewicz a free walk-in on the veteran 'keeper. The win boosted Everton seven places to ninth.
Across the North Sea, Rubio Rubin worked the final 28 minutes as 10-man FC Utrecht received a 5-1 lesson from visiting Eredivisie leaders PSV Eindhoven.
The young American entered not long after Ruud Boymans had cut the lead to 3-1. Despite an active shift and passing well, Rubin was unable to light any sparks in the area. With three losses in four, the Red & White Army slipped to 12th place.
To the north in Norway's Tippeligaen, Mikkel Diskerud notched an assist on his 77-minute injury return as Rosenborg clinched no worse than a third-place finish by topping guests Sandnes Ulf 3-1.
The US midfielder nearly scored the Troll Kids' second on his own in the 42nd minute, only to be robbed twice in quick succession after braking in alone from a fine team move. Scant moments later, though, he deftly set up Pål André Helland to score with a flick pass. Now assured of a Europa League qualifying berth, Diskerud & Co. have won four in a row and seven of eight.
Also, both Andrew Jacobson and Michael Stephens worked solid midfield shifts as Stabæk battled to a 1-1 draw at Sarpsborg 08.
The Blue Ones opened the scoring on 61 minutes, with Franck Boli burying a Stephens rebound after a nice combo between the two set up the American to shoot. Unbeaten in four, Bob Bradley's bunch stand eighth with two rounds to play.
