Yanks in Europe: Weekend Preview

This weekend could feature two debuts for USMNT players, as Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan look to earn some playing time for Aris and Everton, respectively. The matches featuring those teams are just two of a number of matches involving USMNT players, making for a great weekend for American fans. Let's take a look at what's on tap:

Jozy Altidore and Hull City play host to Chelsea on Saturday, as Phil Brown's side looks to earn a result against the title contenders and pull themselves out of the drop zone. Altidore was only a late substitute in Hull's disappointing FA Cup loss last weekend, but he very well could be back in the starting XI given his decent performances in recent league matches and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's fairly underwhelming FA Cup showing. It's great to see Jozy or any other American play in any EPL match, but it always even more fun when you get to watch them square off against the big boys, so here's hoping that Hull can keep it close and that Jozy can bag his first EPL goal against one of the world's best teams.

Altidore won't be the only one squaring off against one of the Big Four this Saturday, as Everton will travel to London to take on Arsenal. Tim Howard will almost certainly get the start, but American fans will watch eagerly to see if Landon Donovan can crack the match day squad and earn his first minutes in the EPL. David Moyes seemed very keen on Donovan throughout his pursuit of the LA Galaxy captain, so I'm optimistic that Donovan will get a decent chunk of playing time in his brief loan. With that being said, Moyes may very well wait one more match before throwing Landon, who is coming off a five week break, into the fire. Either way, it's worth tuning in for, if for no other reason than watching Timmy try to fend off a potent Arsenal attack.

Elsewhere in England on Saturday, Clint Dempsey will look to continue his strong run of form and help Fulham snap their 3-match winless streak in league play. The Cottagers play host to bottom-dwellers Portsmouth, who they beat on the road in the season opener.

For the first time in a couple of weekends, American fans will also have games outside of the British isles to look forward to. Stade Rennes will look to replicate last season's run to the Coupe de France final, with the next step coming against Ligue 2 side Caen on Saturday. Carlos Bocanegra has been out of the Rennes starting XI for about a month now, as he finds himself in a battle for minutes after a long stretch of consistent starts. He will look to crack the lineup and quell some of the worries that are sprouting in the USMNT fan base.

On Sunday, attention will shift to Greece, as Aris take on Iraklis in what will be the first match that loanee Eddie Johnson is available for "the God of War" (talk about a great nickname). As much of a long shot as it seemed just a year ago, Eddie Johnson could very well find himself in South Africa if he has a productive stint in Greece. He will look to kick things off with a bang on Sunday in front of the home fans against relegation candidates Iraklis. I assume Freddy Adu will not be available, given Johnson missed a match due to a physical and other procedures related to the loan. Further, Freddy just landed in Greece today, so he has not had a chance to acquaint himself with the team quite yet. He has been, however, greeted by Aris' passionate supporters, as a throng of fans welcomed him at the airport.

Back to Great Britain, Rangers will be in action against Hamilton in Scottish Cup play on Sunday. Maurice Edu will likely earn his third appearance of the year due to injuries in the Rangers lineup, and a game against a lesser opponent like Hamilton will help him build his confidence as he looks to regain the form he showed last season that brought him into the national team conversation.

DaMarcus Beasley did not seem optimistic about appearing in this match, saying on his Twitter account: "Hopefully only another week I'm out..." Beasley is, however, looking to extend his stay at Rangers, indicating in the media that he'd like to work out a contract extension to stay at Ibrox past this season (his contract expires in June). It's funny how just a month or so can change so much, as Beasley was asking to leave the Glasgow club back in November before his stunning run of form brought him back to the first team.

Last but not least on Sunday, Jonathan Spector and West Ham take on Marcus Hahnemann and Wolves, as both sides look to earn a crucial victory in their respective quests to avoid relegation.

So whether it's to see if EJ or Landon make their debuts or to see if Clint Dempsey can score another stunning goal, be sure to tune in to a full slate of European matches this weekend featuring national team players.