Tim Howard To Call Sunday EPL Game On NBCSN, One Day After Playing In League

U.S. men's national soccer team G Tim Howard "will serve as the analyst" for the match between EPL clubs Chelsea and Manchester City at 12:00pm ET Sunday on NBCSN, according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. Arlo White "will call the game with Howard, who will be in the booth one day after suiting up" for EPL club Everton against Aston Villa. NBC Sports Soccer Group Coordinating Producer Pierre Moossa said, "It is the first time we will have an active player in our announce booth" (SI.com, 10/20). In Philadelphia, Jonathan Tannenwald wrote it is "neat to have a standing member of the U.S. national team in the commentary booth for a Premier League broadcast." It also is "quite a coup for NBC to get a Premier League player into the booth, given how stingy Premier League clubs are about media access." However, it "would have been nice" Chelsea-Man City had been picked for NBCSN's Saturday 10:00am window. But Manchester United is playing Stoke City "at the same hour, and the Red Devils take precedence" (PHILLY.com, 10/20).