Podcast: Brad Friedel on the Premier League season, Howard vs. Guzan

With the Premier League season and a potential U.S. goalkeeping competition on the horizon, there's no better guest to join us for this week's Planet Fútbol Podcast than former U.S. and EPL goalkeeper and current Fox Sports analyst Brad Friedel.

Friedel's accomplishments on the Premier League and international stage need no introduction, so who better to help SI's Grant Wahl, Ben Lyttleton and Avi Creditor delve into the two pressing topics? The new EPL season kicks off Saturday, with Manchester United taking on Friedel's former side Tottenham in the opening match, one featuring two teams with top-four aspirations. How does Friedel see the top of the table shaking out, and might there be a surprise among the top four?

At the bottom of the table, relegation has never been more costly (with the 2016-17 season's TV deal set to kick in). Is another of Friedel's former teams, Aston Villa, in jeopardy of dropping down?

FULL EPL SEASON PREVIEW: Title race features usual suspects | Fight against costly relegation | Top storylines entering the season

USA's Brad Guzan will be the No. 1 goalkeeper for manager Tim Sherwood at Villa, but will he remain in that position for Jurgen Klinsmann? Tim Howard's pending return to the international level provides a genuine battle for the top job, and Friedel weighs in on the goalkeeper battle, how it could unfold and how either Howard or Guzan would deal with having to accept a No. 2 role.

STRAUS: Guzan bets on himself, seizes USA's No. 1 role

Tim Howard, Matt Miazga, Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris

2017

Christian Pulisic, Jordan Morris, Alejandro Bedoya, Bobby Wood, Crystal Dunn, Carli Lloyd, Allie Long, Tobin Heath.

2017

Dom Dwyer