By FRANCO PANIZO

Landon Donovan's time with Everton is nearing its end and while he may want to make an impact in all of his remaning games with the club, this weekend's match might be at the top of his list.

Everton are set to face Chelsea in a match that will pit Donovan against the likes of John Terry, Juan Mata and Florent Malouda.

Sporting Kansas City's quest to repeat as Eastern Conference regular season champions began today with a 2-1 pre-season victory against the San Jose Earthquakes in the pre-season opener for both clubs.

Kansas City midfielder Konrad Warzycha delivered the game-winning goal, converting a free kick to break a 1-1 deadlock.

Frigid temperatures and snowstorms across Europe are starting to take their toll on the soccer schedule.

Saturday's anticipated match between Roma and Inter Milan has already been postponed because of snow blanketing Rome. The Cesena-Catania match has also been called off, and that is in addition to four midweek Serie A games having to be rescheduled because of the snow.

Zak Whitbread and Norwich City look to continue in the FA Cup as they take on West Bromwich Albion, while Jonathan Spector and red hot Birmingham City play Sheffield United in cup play as well.

photo by ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

The German Bundesliga kicks back into full gear this weekend, and with it could come a direct head-to-head duel between a pair of U.S. men's national team players.

Steve Cherundolo and Fabian Johnson could do battle when Hannover 96 and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim resume their Bundesliga campaigns on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates his 70th birthday today and his Manchester United will try to give him a present in the form of a victory and sole possession of first place when the Red Devils take on struggling Blackburn today.

Manchester United pulled even with Manchester City during the most recent set of Premier League matches, but can pull ahead with a victory against a Rovers side that has endured a nightmare season under manager Steve Kean.

Clint Dempsey will look to help Fulham take all three points against Zak Whitbread and Norwich while Brad Friedel and Tottenham look to keep pressure on the league's elite when they visit Swansea.

Zak Whitbread and Norwich City meet Brad Friedel and Tottenham, while Clint Dempsey and Fulham make the short trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in a busy post-Christmas round of games.

Brad Friedel and Tottenham Hotspur climbed to third in the Premier League standings as they beat Sunderland, while Tim Howard and Everton tied Zak Whitbread and Norwich City at Goodison Park.

With the word that Landon Donovan is heading to Everton in January, the Toffees are suddenly feeling confident about their chances of climbing back into the top half of the English Premier League standings. If they can make that move before the new year will depend largely on whether Tim Howard and Co.

Zak Whitbread looks for his second start in a row in Norwich City's game against Tim Howard's Everton, while Brad Guzan and Aston Villa host Liverpool.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Zak Whitbread is on the brink of doing something that he's only done once this season: Start consecutive games.

A week after returning to Norwich City's lineup in a surprise victory over Newcastle, Whitbread appears set to start for the Canaries when they play Tim Howard and Everton.

Zak Whitbread returned from injury in a winning effort as Norwich City took down Newcastle United, while it was a tough day for Clint Dempsey and Fulham as they fell to Swansea City.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Having been beaten by Kilmarnock in shocking fashion last week, Carlos Bocanegra, Maurice Edu and Alejandro Bedoya enter their match against Dunfermline Athletic with one thing in mind: Winning.

Rangers is still four points clear of Celtic for first place in the Scottish Premier League, but the Blues need to bounce back from last weekend's defeat.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Timmy Chandler may have scored a goal on Saturday, but he wasn't the only U.S. men's national team defender to make an impact with his left foot.

Jonathan Spector helped rescue Birmingham City from defeat, assisting on an 87th-minute equalizer in the club's 2-2 draw with Blackpool.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Brondby IF won its first game since early October in shocking fashion this past weekend, and it can partially thank Clarence Goodson for that.

Along with going the distance and limiting first-place FC Copenhagen to one goal, Goodson scored the opener in Brondby's 2-1 victory on Sunday.

photo by Florian Eisele/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

If you came away from the U.S. men's national team friendlies wanting to see more of Fabian Johnson, you'll likely get your chance on Sunday.

Johnson should make his way back into TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's lineup when it takes on relegation-threatened Hamburg SV.

What happened to kicking the tires?

With the announcement of another conservative, heavily German-born roster for the upcoming friendlies against France (Friday, Nov. 11, 3pm on ESPN2) and Slovenia (Tuesday, Nov. 15, 12pm on ESPN2), apprehension has begun to creep to the front of many US fans' minds.

Norwich City have made an impressive start to their latest campaign in the top flight of English football, but manager Paul Lambert is grateful for the current international break which he believes will give his squad the chance to take stock of their achievements to date and recharge their batteries ahead of the next stage of their season.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Seeing German-Americans playing along one another on the U.S. men's national team is becoming quite the trend, but for one weekend we'll see a portion of them doing battle.

Jermaine Jones is set to face off against fellow United States pool players Danny Williams and Fabian Johnson when Schalke 04 and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim play on Saturday.

Grant Holt is a goal threat for Norwich...Liverpool welcome promoted side Norwich City to Anfield this weekend as the Canaries look to continue their decent start to the season. Norwich are currently 9th in the table whilst the Reds are in 5th.
There aren't many injury worries for either side but there is a doubt hanging over Zak Whitbread for Norwich.

Norwich City make their first trip to Anfield since the 2004-2005 season, currently situated ninth in the Premier League and winners of three of their last four. Each of the newly promoted sides have impressed this season, but the Canaries are the top of the heap thus far. Liverpool have strung together seven points from their last three and will hope to continue their string of positive performances in what could potentially be a very tricky match.

Canaries Come To Anfield

Grant Holt is a goal threat for Norwich... Liverpool welcome promoted side Norwich City to Anfield this weekend as the Canaries look to continue their decent start to the season. Norwich are currently 9th in the table whilst the Reds are in 5th.

Squad sheet: Liverpool v Norwich City

The Norwich manager Paul Lambert has promised that his side will "give it a go" at Anfield on Saturday. The Canaries adopted a similar approach at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge earlier this season and although both games ended in defeat for the visitors, the performances were encouraging.

By FRANCO PANIZO

The Americans Abroad have made a habit out of scoring goals this season, and this weekend was no different.

Clint Dempsey was one of the players to find the back of the net, scoring the fifth goal in Fulham's 6-0 demolition of Queens Park Rangers.

By FRANCO PANIZO

Carlos Bocanegra may be one of the most experienced players on the U.S. men's national team, but he has likely been seeking advice from Maurice Edu in advance of Rangers' upcoming game.

Bocanegra is likely to get his first taste of the Old Firm rivalry on Sunday, as Rangers is set to face Celtic in the first of three matches between the two teams scheduled this season.

By FRANCO PANIZO

If Oguchi Onyewu is hoping to earn his first call-up under new U.S. men's national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann in the near future, he took one step closer towards achieving that this weekend.

Onyewu made his official Sporting Lisbon debut on Saturday, starting and going the distance in the club's 3-2 victory over Pacos de Ferreira.

After each match the contributors to New England Soccer Today will rate the performances of the United States National Team players who made an appearance on a 1 to 10 scale (1 horrendous, 5 average, 10 perfection). This week Brian O'Connell, Julian Cardillo, and Sean Donahue contributed ratings for the USA's 1-0 friendly loss to Costa Rica.

photo by Joe Toth/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

Jozy Altidore isn't the only one lighting up the scoreboards during the early part of the European season.

Robbie Findley scored his third goal of the season across all competitions for Nottingham Forest in its 4-1 loss to West Ham United.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

With more Americans plying their trade abroad than ever before, it's becoming more frequent to see battles between compatriots. This weekend is no different, and there's an intriguing one on tap that involves two U.

by Dru Boyer The season is back, and I'm late. How was your summer? The start of European football brings with it all things good in this world...soccer, NFL, college football, and here in the Bluegrass State, college basketball preseason. I'm really looking to adopt an EPL side this season, I've remained neutral for too [.

by Dru Boyer The season is back, and I'm late. How was your summer? The start of European football brings with it all things good in this world...soccer, NFL, college football, and here in the Bluegrass State, college basketball preseason. I'm really looking to adopt an EPL side this season, I've remained neutral for too [.

The U.S. men's national team returns to action in ten days with a pair of international friendlies, meaning Jurgen Klinsmann will soon be calling his first full camp since taking over as national team manager.

Klinsmann stated after the recent 1-1 draw with Mexico that he would call in the best squad possible, all hands on deck, meaning no healthy top players left behind and no MLS standouts left with their clubs.

Barcelona and Real Madrid put on a show during the Spanish SuperCopa, but those hoping to see the two powerhouses in action again sometime soon will have to wait a little while longer than expected.

Players in Spain's first and second division will be on strike for at least the first two scheduled weekends of the season, starting with what was supposed to be Saturday's opening day of the season.

Clint Dempsey and Zak Whitbread got their Premier League Seasons underway while Robbie Findley suited up for Nottingham Forest in week two of the Championship.

By FRANCO PANIZO

It was a topsy-turvy weekend for the Americans Abroad contingent, and no player may have illustrated that more than Maurice Edu.

Having missed out on last week's U.S. men's national team friendly against Mexico with an injury, Edu recovered enough to earn a start in Rangers' 2-0 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

American teenager Villyan Bijev has agreed terms this weekend with Premier League giants Liverpool, according to a report from Californian news channel KMPH Fox 26.
The report claimed that Bijev has signed a three-year contract with a two-year option, and his high school coach and former MLS midfielder Chad McCarty confirmed the information to the television station.

By CALEB SONNELAND

American defender Zak Whitbread is poised to extend his contract with the newly-promoted EPL side Norwich City.

Whitbread was a key figure in the back for manager Paul Lambert's boys, registering 23 appearances in the successful 2010-2011 Championship season.

USA & Canada Football League XI 2010/2011

In goal I have chosen Brad Guzan (USA) who had a spell on loan at Hull City. Across the back are the quartet Eric Lichaj (Leeds & USA), Zak Whitbread (Norwich City & USA), Frank Simek (Carlisle United & USA) and David Edgar (Burnley & Canada).

USA & Canada Football League XI 2010/2011

In goal I have chosen Brad Guzan (USA) who had a spell on loan at Hull City. Across the back are the quartet Eric Lichaj (Leeds & USA), Zak Whitbread (Norwich City & USA), Frank Simek (Carlisle United & USA) and David Edgar (Burnley & Canada).