AMSTERDAM – The coming weekend is ripe with tasty European clashes expected to feature a Yank vs. Yank battle, with Everton's Tim Howard laying out the Goodison Park welcome mat for DeAndre Yedlin and Sunderland.
All times listed in ET.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Brad Guzan – Aston Villa at Tottenham (Monday, 3 pm on NBCSN)
Villa is definitely a club in dire need of a good omen, so here goes: The last time these two met, Guzan heroically tossed out an 0-5 career record against Spurs with a clean sheet victory at White Hart Lane back in April. This time, he will try to halt a five-game losing slide across all competitions. Tottenham are a bit dinged up in places, but the returns of Joleon Lescott and Micah Richards are expected to give the visitors a rare-for-them full selection.
Tim Howard – Everton vs. DeAndre Yedlin – Sunderland (Sunday, 8:30 am on NBCSN)
Fresh off their first league win of the season, Sunderland and presumed right back starter Yedlin will resume a series that has recently turned on his US teammate. Howard was once 9-0-4 overall against the Black Cats, but has suffered a 1-3-1 fate over the last five clashes between the clubs. He also had won his first six EPL home meetings with Sunderland before dropping the last two. The hosts will be without skipper Phil Jagielka, but Leighton Baines has now resumed full training; the visitors are crossing their fingers over attack engines Fabio Borini and Ola Toivonen.
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
John Anthony Brooks – Hertha Berlin vs. Fabian Johnson– Borussia Mönchengladbach (Saturday, 10:30 am on Fox Soccer 2GO)
It's possible that Brooks will rejoin the lineup for this one, but it seems more likely he will begin as a spectator while Johnson roams left wing for 'Gladbach. Hertha have won three straight at home, but the Foals own five straight league wins and four in a row in this series. Both teams have several injury woes, but the capital crew are more shorthanded with key men missing from every line.
Alfredo Morales – Ingolstadt at Schalke (Saturday, 10:30 am on Fox Soccer Plus)
Ingolstadt have hit their first Bundesliga rough patch, with consecutive losses and just one win in five. As it so happens, Schalke can make the same exact claims about their recent results. Morales should keep his midfield place for the first-ever meeting between these clubs. The Miners are hurting at the moment, with Kevin-Prince Boateng, Sidney Sam and Atsuto Uchida among the missing.
NORWEGIAN TIPPELIGAEN
Coach Bob Bradley, Cole Grossman – Stabæk vs Alex DeJohn – IK Start (Sunday, noon)
While Bradley has mastered most of the Tippeligaen matchups to some degree, Start have proved an annoyance by taking two of three meetings, including one at Nadderud Stadion last season. Grossman was on board for a shock 4-1 defeat in Kristiansand on July 4. DeJohn was an unused sub for the victors that day, but is coming off one of his better outings of the season and should oppose his countrymen from the opening whistle as Start tries to move out of the danger zone. With only two games left, Stabæk need to do away with their two-game skid if they hope to keep hold of a Europa League berth; a pair of clubs stand within three points ahead of the weekend.
Ethan Horvath – Molde FK vs. A.J. Soares – Viking (Sunday, noon)
One of those aforementioned Europa League dreamers is Viking, who need to beat the streaking Horvath and get some Stabæk help just to have a shot on closing day. Meanwhile, the Molde netminder is showing a finishing kick to his rookie season. The youngster has won three straight league tilts and the outgoing champs will play on as Group A leaders in the current edition of the Europa League. Horvath's next win would be his 15th across all competitions, which would move him ahead of Troy Perkins into fifth place on the all-time chart for 'keeper victories in a first European campaign. This is traditionally a very tight league series, with Molde holding a slight edge on home turf to date.
BEST OF THE REST
Norway:
Danny Cruz, Zarek Valentin – Bodø/Glimt at Tromsø (Sunday, noon)
Erik Hurtado – Mjøndalen vs Aalesunds FK (Sunday, noon)
Scotland:
Gedion Zelalam – Rangers at Hibernian (Sunday, 7:30 am on Fox Soccer Plus)
