U.S. Abroad (Dec. 28): Man City ties Liverpool; wins for Howard, Friedel

• by Soccer America , Dec 29, 2003

Claudio Reyna played the full 90 minutes for the third straight Manchester City game in eight days as the Blues tied Liverpool, 2-2. Manchester United, with Tim Howard in goal, held on to the Premier league's first-place spot with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough.

Brad Friedel helped struggling Blackburn to a 1-0 win over Newcastle while fellow keeper Kasey Keller lost with Tottenham for the fourth straight time and slipped into the relegation zone.

ENGLAND (Dec. 28)

* Claudio Reyna (Manchester City, PL) vs. Liverpool, 2-2.
Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 8. ''Dream Team Star Man: Graft and skill by the American midfielder.''
Manchester Evening News rating (10 high; 1 low): 6. ''Three games in less than a week at full pace are hard to take but he handled them well.''
Robbie Fowler's last-minute goal earned Manchester City, which has now gone nine league games without win, a 2-2 tie. German Dietmar Hamann had put Liverpool ahead 10 minutes earlier with a 25-yard volley.
Manchester City is 13th place.
Season league stats: 10 games; 1 goal.

* Jovan Kirovski (Birmingham, PL) at Everton, 0-1.
Entered as a sub in the 78th minute.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 5
Birmingham is in 9th place.
Season league stats: 3 games.

* Tim Howard (Manchester United, PL) at Middlesbrough, 1-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 6.
Manchester Evening News (10 high; 1 low): 6. ''Well protected by his stout defense, but had the odd panic from set-pieces.''
South African left back Quinton Fortune scored the winner in the 14th minute.
Man U is in 1st place.
Season league stats: 19 games (played every game).

* Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. Newcastle, 1-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 8.
Friedel saved well on a sharp 20-yard effort from Jermaine Jenas. Paul Gallagher's winning goal went in off his arm.
Blackburn is 14th place.
Season league stats: 19 games (played every game).

* Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) vs. Charlton, 0-1. Started: 90 minutes.
The Sun rating (10 high; 1 low): 7.
Tottenham suffered its fourth straight league loss and dropped into the relegation zone.
Tottenham is in 17th place, third from last.
Season league stats: 19 games (played every game).

* Eddie Lewis (Preston North End, D1) vs. Crewe, 0-0.
Started: 90 minutes.
Preston is in 8th place.
Season league stats: 23 games; 3 goals.

* Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, D1) at Walsall, 1-1.
Started: 90 minutes.
Reading is in 9th place.
Season league stats: 26 games.