By FRANCO PANIZO
Brad Guzan may be fresh off of helping the U.S. Men’s National Team pick up a historic World Cup qualifying point against Mexico at Azteca Stadium, but there will not be a moment’s rest for him.
Guzan faces Liverpool this weekend.
Guzan returns to club action on Sunday as Aston Villa host the seventh-placed Reds at Villa Park. The Villans are currently three points above the relegation zone and will need at minimum a draw to avoid any chance of falling back in.
Stuart Holden will have ample opportunity for playing time this weekend. Having just joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan, Holden could play in as many as two games with relegation implications in three days as the Owls host Barnsley on Saturday before traveling to take on cellar dwellers Bristol City on Monday.
Norway’s Eliteserien resumes play after a two-week break and Mix Diskerud is likely to reprise his role in Rosenborg BK’s midfield on Monday. Rosenborg hosts Brann and Diskerud will be looking to help move his club to 2-0 at the start of the season.
Here is who the Americans Abroad play this weekend:
Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Crystal Palace. (Packwood is out injured.)
Conor Doyle and Derby County play Bristol City.
Zak Whitbread and Leicester City play Millwall.
Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Shrewsbury Town.
Mike Grella and Scunthorpe United play Bristol City.
Conor O’Brien and FC Nordsjaelland play AGF Aarhus.
Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play Esbjerg.
Clint Dempsey, Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur play Swansea City.
Sebastian Lletget and West Ham United play West Bromwich Albion.
Tim Howard and Everton play Geoff Cameron, Brek Shea and Stoke City. (Howard is out injured.)
Tim Ream and Bolton Wanderers play Charlton Athletic.
Stuart Holden and Sheffield Wednesday play Barnsley.
Oguchi Onyewu and Malaga play Rayo Vallecano.
Michael Bradley and AS Roma play Palermo.
Michael Parkhurst and FC Augsburg play Steve Cherundolo and Hannover 96.
David Yelldell and Bayer Leverkusen play Fortuna Dusseldorf.
Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04 play Fabian Johnson, Danny Williams and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Alfredo Morales, John Anthony Brooks and Hertha Berlin play VfL Bochum.
Tony Taylor and Estoril Praia play Moreirense.
Caleb Patterson-Sewell and Vitoria Setubal play Maritimo.
Eugene Starikov and FK Rostov play Dinamo Moscow.
Terrence Boyd and Rapid Vienna play SV Josko Ried.
Joe Corona, Edgar Castillo, Greg Garza and Club Tijuana play Toluca.
Herculez Gomez, Benji Joya and Santos Laguna play Queretaro.
SUNDAY
Brad Guzan, Eric Lichaj and Aston Villa play Liverpool.
Carlos Bocanegra and Racing Santander play Elche.
Timmy Chandler and FC Nurnberg play VfL Wolfsburg.
Andrew Wooten and SV Sandhausen play Kaiserslautern.
Jozy Altidore and AZ Alkmaar play SC Heracles Almelo.
Maurice Edu and Bursaspor play Kasimpasa.
Charlie Davies and Randers FC play SonderjyskE.
Alejandro Bedoya and Helsingborgs IF play Brian Span and Djurgardens IF.
DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco Fiscal and Puebla play Jose Torres, Jonathan Bornstein and Tigres UANL.
Ventura Alvarado and Club America play Chivas de Guadalajara.
MONDAY
Zak Whitbread and Leicester City play Barnsley.
Jonathan Spector, Will Packwood and Birmingham City play Wolverhampton Wanderers. (Packwood is out injured.)
Stuart Holden and Sheffield Wednesday play Bristol City.
Conor Doyle and Derby County play Leeds United.
Mike Grella and Scunthorpe United play AFC Bournemouth.
Frank Simek and Carlisle United play Sheffield United.
Joe Gyau and St Pauli play SC Paderborn 07.
Sacha Kljestan and RSC Anderlecht play Genk in the Belgian playoffs.
Clarence Goodson and Brondby IF play AGF Aarhus.
Conor O’Brien and FC Nordsjaelland play FC Midtjylland.
Mix Diskerud and Rosenborg BK play Brann.
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Which of these games are you most looking forward to? See Guzan and Aston Villa getting a result against Liverpool? Think Holden will play at least 90 minutes in Sheffield Wednesday’s upcoming two games?
Share your thoughts below.