Uniteds on-loan keepers both had clean sheets to their names in
their respective weekend fixtures.
Tim Howard helped ensure a first Everton shut-out in six games,
despite arriving at the ground suffering from a fever.
Someone said he wasn't well so I didn't expect him to turn up,"
said Phil Neville, ex-Red and Tim's team-mate at Everton.
"When he did turn up he looked even worse, he was sweating. He
obviously had a fever but he was keen to play.
"He made a great save in the first half when they could have got
back into it from a set-piece but he's been like that all season.
He is a fantastic keeper and is up there with the best in the
Premiership."
A point-blank save from Colin Kazim-Richards was the highlight of
Howards afternoon, but he also had to be on his toes to block from
former Red Danny Webber late on in the game.
Ben Foster was also in the thick of the action at the Valley as he
helped the Hornets eke out a much-needed point, pulling off a trio
of fine saves in the first-half, twice denying Andy Reid and once
reacting sharply to a Jerome Thomas effort.
As for the outfield players, Fraizer Campbell capped a fine win for
Antwerp with their final goal in a 4-1 win over Sporting Lokeren at
the Bosuil. Campbell, Darron Gibson, Danny Simpson and Jonny Evans
all made it into the Antwerp starting XI, though Darron Gibson was
substituted on 81 minutes - just a minute before Campbell found the
net for the second successive week.
Chris Eagles played his part in NEC Nijmegens 1-0 win over Vitesse
Arnhem, though the game was still locked at 0-0 when he was
replaced on 81 minutes. NECs winner, a penalty late into added-on
time, saw them climb another place in the Eredivisie.
As Rangers squeezed past St Mirren 3-2, neither Phil Bardsley or
Lee Martin even made the Gers bench despite manager Paul le Guen
ringing the chances after Rangers historic midweek win against
Livorno in the UEFA Cup. Bardsley, however, has insisted he will
fight to get back in the side having lost his place after he was
sent off in training following a tackle on team-mate Thomas
Buffel.
Giuseppe Rossi spent the afternoon on the bench as Newcastle went
down 1-0 to a late Yakubu strike at the Riverside, a result which
leaves the Magpies just two points and two places clear of the
relegation places. And Gerard Pique was another unused sub, failing
to get a run as Real Zaragoza beat Real Betis 2-1 to climb to sixth
in the Primera Liga, just three points shy of leaders
Barcelona.
Adam Eckersleys loan spell at Brondby is over; the defender has
returned early to Old Trafford after tearing his hamstring.