There are a couple of choice battles involving Americans in the Premiership this weekend. On FSC on Saturday (delayed coverage beginning at 2:15 pm ET), DaMarcus Beasley and Manchester City host Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey of seventh-place Reading. Convey has only recently returned from a long-term injury and isn’t expected to start, though Beasley, who’s been playing much better recently, should; as ever, Hahnemann will be in goal for Reading.
Immediately following that game, Setanta Sports (delayed coverage beginning at 4 pm ET) has Newcastle United and Fulham. Newcastle, of course, is the new home of Oguchi Onyewu; the American colossus has been named in the squad and is expected to play. Fulham’s Carlos Bocanegra and Brian McBride should be in the starting lineup, while the big question is whether new-boy Clint Dempsey will finally get a start. Dempsey only got eight minutes in Tuesday’s poor 2-0 defeat away to Sheffield United. It’s obvious that Fulham boss Chris Coleman needs to do something different: the London club is winless in its last seven Premiership games, six of which were draws.
Onyewu, meanwhile, says he has no expectations about tomorrow’s game. “I hope to get some time on Saturday and take it from there,” the 24-year-old said. “I understand that over the past couple of years, defense has been a question at Newcastle. Hopefully, I will be able to perform well and get that opportunity to show we can turn it around.”