AMSTERDAM — It was a solid Saturday of results for Americans playing in Europe, as three Tim Howard saves helped Everton climb to eighth with a 2-0 decision at 10-man Bolton.
The US No. 1 notched his first shutout since August as the Toffees won consecutive matches for the first time this season.
In more English Premier League action, Brad Friedel made four stops as white-hot Tottenham posted a 3-1 victory at West Bromwich Albion. Third place Spurs have now won five straight and nine out of an unbeaten 10 EPL games.
Clint Dempsey pitched in a strong effort as Fulham earned a point for just the third time in 26 trips to Arsenal with a 1-1 draw. The Cottagers led through a Thomas Vermaelen own goal until the Belgian atoned with an 81st-minute header to pull the Gunners level.
A league below in the Championship, Birmingham City midfielder Jonathan Spector went the distance for the seventh game in a row, a 2-2 draw at Blackpool. A Nikola Žigić strike three minutes from time kept the Brums steady in eighth place.
Despite 78 threatening minutes from Robbie Findley, Nottingham Forest were edged 1-0 at Cardiff City.
Conor Doyle came on for the final 12 minutes as suddenly slumping Derby County lost 3-1 at West Ham United, the club's fourth straight defeat.
Over in Germany, Timothy Chandler (pictured above, courtesy FC Nurnberg) bagging the lone goal as FC Nürnberg halted an eight-game Bundesliga win drought by topping Kaiserslautern 1-0. Pouncing on a 14th-minute turnover at the Red Devils' back, the US international cut in from the right to deposit a left-footed drive for his first goal since February.
Elsewhere, Fabian Johnson played a part in both goals as ninth place Hoffenheim settled for a 1-1 home draw with Freiburg.
Playing right back on the day, Johnson lobbed back in from a corner kick clearance to set up Roberto Firmino's opener on 24 minutes, but would later lose the set-up man on the visitor's last-gasp equalizer. Club and country teammate Daniel Williams also went all 90 minutes, picking up a yellow card in the process.
Hannover 96 captain Steve Cherundolo returned to the line-up to help the hosts rally late for a 1-1 share against nearby rivals Hamburg.
Jermaine Jones and Schalke suffered a 2-0 derby defeat at defending champs Borussia Dortmund. The US midfielder picked up his fourth yellow card in four Revierderby games without a win.
Down one level, three highlight-reel saves from Luis Robles were not enough to prevent Karlsruhe from sinking into the danger zone with a 2-0 home loss to Alemannia Aachen.
Heading to the Portuguese Primeira Liga, Sporting CP lost for the first time with Oguchi Onyewu on the field, a 1-0 stumble at archrivals Benfica. In the end, a first half Javi Garcia header snapped the Lions' seven-game league win streak.
Finally, in Belgium's Jupiler League, Sacha Kljestan and Anderlecht pulled off a great escape in winning 3-2 at Zulte-Waregem. Down two after 83 minutes, the Mauves rallied behind a goal from Marcin Wasilewski and two from Tom De Sutter to move six points clear at the top.
