AMSTERDAM – Another weekend brings a tasty menu of European fare involving American exports, with Everton's Tim Howard looking to steal some momentum from early Premier League pace-setters Manchester City and two US regulars set to face off in the Bundesliga.
All times listed in ET.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Brad Guzan – Aston Villa at Crystal Palace (Saturday, 10 am on USA)
The US netminder pitched a pair of shutouts against Palace last season, but Villa failed to win the home game. Guzan has three clean sheet victories in his last five EPL road games, and his 1-0 win there last season snapped a Villans win drought at Selhurst Park that dated back to 1980.
Tim Howard – Everton vs. Manchester City (Sunday, 11 am on NBCSN)
After shutting down one of his favorite opponents at Southampton last weekend, Howard returns home trying to regain the upper hand in a series he had traditionally dominated until recently. Despite dropping his last three clashes with the Citizens, the Toffees backstop still holds a 10-7-2 all-time edge with six clean sheets thrown in for good measure. This time, Everton must go without star defender Leighton Baines.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
John Brooks – Hertha Berlin vs. Aron Johannsson – Werder Bremen (Friday, 2:30 pm on Fox Soccer Plus)
Brooks and Hertha Berlin will look to build on a winning start to the season, though it remains to be seen whether the American international will start for Hertha after being relegated to a bench role in the season-opening win at Augsburg last weekend. Johannsson, meanwhile, could be in line for his first Bremen start as the Green-Whites look to rebound from a 3-0 reverse at the hands of Schalke on opening day.
Alfredo Morales – Ingolstadt vs. Borussia Dortmund (Sunday, 9:30 am on Fox Sports 1)
Having thoroughly enjoyed Ingolstadt's Bundesliga coming out party away from home last week, Morales & Co. bring the show home for the fans. Both the midfielder and his club will be getting their first look at Dortmund. The Audi Boys will go without key defender Danilo, while the visitors are set to arrive without someone the American ordinarily would have run up against repeatedly, midfield ace Nuri Sahin.
FRENCH LIGUE 1
Alejandro Bedoya – Nantes vs. Reims (Saturday, 2 pm)
The US workhorse returns from injury for a visit from an unheralded club off to a flyer. Reims have won their first two to stand behind leaders PSG by a differential of just one goal out of the gate. Perhaps their rise should be no shock to Bedoya and his teammates: the American has yet to celebrate a win over the weekend guests in three tries and his side have only managed to win two of the five previous home meetings.
NORWEGIAN TIPPELIGAEN
Rhett Bernstein – Mjondalen at Rosenborg (Sunday, 2 pm)
League leaders Rosenborg are unquestionably chagrined that Bernstein returned to the lineup last week – and it has nothing to with the comeback goal, Man of the Match honor or the fact that his return coincided with the end of MIF's 11-game winless slide. Back in May, the American center back bagged a pair of goals to rally Mjondalen to a home triumph over RBK. The performance left RBK with their first loss of the season and netted Bernstein his first MotM prize. A repeat showing would offer great help to Bob Bradley's second place Stabaek.
BEST OF THE REST
England:
Geoff Cameron – Stoke City at Norwich City, Sat. 10 am on Premier League Extra Time
DeAndre Yedlin – Tottenham at Leicester City, Sat. 10 am on NBCSN
Germany:
Timothy Chandler – Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Augsburg, Sat. 9:30 am on Fox Soccer Plus
Netherlands:
Rubio Rubin – FC Utrecht at ADO Den Haag, Sun. 8:30 am on NGSN
Norway:
Coach Bob Bradley, Cole Grossman – Stabaek at Sandefjord, Sat. noon
Ethan Horvath – Molde FK at Valerenga, Sun. 9:30 am
Danny Cruz, Zarek Valentin – Bodo/Glimt at FK Haugesund, Sun. noon
Alex DeJohn – IK Start at Stromsgodset, Sun. noon
