Derby County will seek a major FA Cup scalp on Sunday with Leeds United coming to Pride Park in third round action.
Patrick Agyemang and Brenden Aaronson will square off as both seek to lead their clubs into the fourth round of the historic competition. Agyemang has become a key contributor for the Rams since his summer move from Charlotte FC, totaling six goals and three assists.
Despite not delivering a goal contribution in his last three appearances, Agyemang has continued to rack up the minutes in John Eustace’s lineup. The Rams will likely rely on him again this weekend as Carlton Morris remains sidelined through injury.
Aaronson has registered four goal contributions in his last four appearances for Leeds United, helping the club earn results against Manchester United and Sunderland. The veteran midfielder has continued in Daniel Farke’s starting lineup and has rewarded his manager with three goals in his last two outings.
Both Aaronson and Agyemang will be fighting to be part of the U.S. men’s national team’s World Cup roster this summer, but first a first-ever meeting awaits them in club action.
Elsewhere in England, Antonee Robinson and Fulham host Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough. Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Stoke City while Josh Sargent and Norwich City host Walsall.
In Italy, Christian Pulisic and AC Milan face off with Fiorentina in Serie A action. Weston McKennie and Juventus take on Cremonese.
In France, Coupe De France play continues with Folarin Balogun and Monaco visiting Orleans.Tanner Tessmann and Lyon take on Lille in one of the headlining ties of the round.
In Germany, the Bundesliga schedule resumes with Joe Scally, Gio Reyna and Borussia Moenchengladbach hosting Noahkai Banks and Augsburg. Cole Campbell will seek to make his Hoffenheim debut against Werder Bremen while Damion Downs aims to do the same with Hamburg.
Elsewhere, Liga MX play resumes with Alex Zendejas and Club America visiting Club Tijuana Danny Leyva and Necaxa also take on Santos Laguna on Saturday. Ricardo Pepi and PSV face Excelsior in Dutch Eredivisie play. Auston Trusty and Celtic host Dundee United in SPFL action. Jordan Pefok and Tondela take on Moreirense in Portuguese league play.
Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Americans Abroad:
England
FA Cup
Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United visit Patrick Agyemang and Derby County on Sunday.
Antonee Robinson and Fulham host Aidan Morris and Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Haji Wright and Coventry City visit Stoke City on Saturday.
George Campbell, Daryl Dike and West Bromwich Albion visit Swansea City on Sunday.
Chris Richards and Crystal Palace visit Macclesfield on Saturday.
Josh Sargent and Norwich City host Walsall on Sunday.
Charlie Kelman and Charlton Athletic host Gabriel Slonina and Chelsea on Saturday.
Dom Dwyer and Mansfield Town visit Sheffield United on Sunday.
Jonathan Tomkinson and Cheltenham Town host Leicester City on Saturday.
Tyler Adams is OUT (MCL Injury) for Bournemouth.
Caleb Wiley is OUT (Injury) for Watford.
League One
Lynden Gooch and Huddersfield Town visit Stockport County on Saturday.
FA Trophy
Aidan Dausch and Forest Green Rovers visit Ebbsfleet United on Saturday.
WSL
Catarina Macario, Naomi Girma, Alyssa Thompson and Chelsea host West Ham United on Sunday.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Manchester United visit Emily Fox and Arsenal on Saturday.
Spain
Segunda Liga
Konrad De La Fuente and AD Ceuta visit Malaga on Sunday.
Germany
Bundesliga
Malik Tillman and Bayer Leverkusen host Stuttgart on Saturday.
Cole Campbell and Hoffenheim visit Werder Bremen on Saturday.
James Sands and St. Pauli host RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Kristoffer Lund and FC Koln visit Heidenheim on Saturday.
Damion Downs and Hamburg visit Freiburg on Saturday.
Joe Scally, Gio Reyna and Borussia Moenchengladbach host Noahkai Banks and Augsburg on Sunday.
Lennard Maloney and Mainz visit Union Berlin on Saturday.
Timmy Chandler and Eintracht Frankfurt host Borussia Dortmund on Friday.
Kevin Paredes is OUT (Injury) for Wolfsburg.
Italy
Serie A
Christian Pulisic and AC Milan visit Fiorentina on Sunday.
Weston McKennie and Juventus host Cremonese on Monday.
Yunus Musah and Atalanta host Torino on Saturday.
Ben Cremaschi and Parma visit Lecce on Sunday.
Serie B
Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena host Empoli on Saturday.
Gianluca Busio and Venezia visit Andrija Novakovich and Reggiana on Saturday.
France
Coupe De France
Folarin Balogun and Monaco visit Orleans on Saturday.
Tanner Tessmann and Lyon visit Lille on Sunday.
Mark McKenzie and Toulouse visit Angers on Saturday.
Tim Weah and Marseille are off until January 13.
Division 1 Feminine
Lindsey Heaps, Korbin Shrader, Lily Yohannes and Lyon visit Saint-Etienne on Sunday.
Eva Gaetino and PSG host Lille on Sunday.
Netherlands
Eredivisie
Ricardo Pepi, Sergino Dest and PSV host Zach Booth and Excelsior on Saturday.
Taylor Booth and FC Twente host PEC Zwolle on Saturday.
Scotland
Premiership
Auston Trusty and Celtic host Dundee United on Saturday.
Dante Polvara and Aberdeen host Rangers on Sunday.
Cameron Carter-Vickers is OUT (Achilles injury).
Portugal
Liga Portugal
Jordan Pefok and Tondela visit Moreirense on Sunday.
Mexico
Liga MX
Alex Zendejas and Club America visit Club Tijuana on Friday.
Danny Leyva and Necaxa visit Santos Laguna on Saturday.
Richie Ledezma and Chivas host Pachuca on Saturday.
Pepi just got injured, again. Looks like potential arm or shoulder. See how serious it is, but he is going immediately to the treatment room.
Very weird innocuous injury as we fell to the ground putting the ball in the net.
Looked like his elbow popping out of place on the replay. Yikes!
Downs already starting for Hamburg. Decent first half. Will see how the second half goes.
Zach Booth has joined RSL on loan with an option to buy.
Watching the Booth brothers, I have actually not been convinced they were good enough to be impactful at the MLS level – which (though the Dutch will argue until they’re blue in the face) is not nearly as good as MLS until you get up to PSV, Ajax, and Feyenoord. Those guys would all likely win the league (though we did see even a beat-up Inter Miami squad handle Benfica, which is on a similar level to those three) in the Club World Cup. After that trio the quality in the Eredivisie drops off a cliff.
Going home does help. When you speak the language natively and aren’t up against that ingrained anti-American bias that permeates both the soccer world and the greater world at large (which current events are certainly not helping with), you do get treated differently and there’s something about the experience of living abroad in an unforgiving environment that does seem to set players who have had that experience ahead of the ones who solely stayed stateside. But I’ve also seen guys like Matthew Hoppe, Mix Diskerud or Marcus Tracy come to MLS from Europe and fail to make an impact, and guys like Bobby Wood and Tyler Boyd were…meh, though Wood’s case was mostly about injuries. I was skeptical of how well Emmanuel Sabbi would do at Vancouver, though, and he actually did pretty durn well and did secure a starting spot with them, so it’ll be interesting to get another data point in this conversation.
I’m not sure it’s fair to compare MLS to Eredivisie or Portugal based on the result from Inter Miami. They spend far more and get the Messi discount from a number of players.
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I haven’t seen Zach in a couple years. I saw him against PSV when he was with Volendam and he was their best player, but they’d ride their vets to relegation every week. Limited sample though so maybe I saw his one good appearance. Taylor had some injuries after his big year with Utrecht and then lost his spot there and hasn’t had much success since. Seems like he’s almost always hurt. Feel like if they found the right manager like Sabbi did the Booth boys could be fine in MLS.
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Hey Hoppe had 2g in 7 appearances with a terrible SJ team. He pushed Cowell to the bench when he was there.