Americans Abroad: USMNT striker race heats up as Ricardo Pepi keeps scoring for PSV and Josh Sargent ends lengthy goal drought

Pepi was back in PSV's starting XI and, wouldn't you know it, he was back on the scoresheet, too.

Pepi continued his recent run of form with yet another goal, netting in PSV's 2-0 win over Heerenveen. With that goal, he has five goals in just 511 Eredivisie minutes, and you can tack on two goals in the Champions League to that total, too. Pepi remains one of the most efficient goal scorers in the Netherlands and, ]now back in the XI, PSV are benefitting from the efficiency.

That increase in minutes wasn't guaranteed, though.

For a while, Pepi wasn't in the XI. PSV wanted to ease him in to start the season and were then reluctant to break up a good thing with Guus Til up top. The USMNT striker had to bide his time, and he did so effectively by coming off the bench and scoring anyway. Now back in the lineup, Pepi’s task is simple: stay there. And the best way to do that is to do what he’s always done at PSV - change games with goals.

Sargent is finally back on the scoresheet.

The American striker netted his first goal since August and, although it came in a 3-2 defeat to Watford, it did feel like a turning point for the Norwich City star. He's done well over the last few weeks, providing three assists in the six games prior to Saturday's goal, but, for months, that goal had been eluding him. Following a tough September international break, Sargent had been unable to respond, which is at least partly why he wasn't back with the USMNT in October or November.

Maybe, then, this can be a springboard. There's no doubt that the 2022 World Cup veteran has fallen down the USMNT's striker depth chart, and the only way to climb back up it is to score goals. He hadn't done that in 14 appearances prior to Saturday's breakout, which will make this one feel extra special.

Sargent has proven time and time again that he's a player who can score in bunches, particularly at this Championship level. Maybe this weekend's finish can be the start of a new bunch, then, one that gives Mauricio Pochettino something to think about up top.

When Aaronson came into the game, Leeds were down 2-0 against Liverpool. By the time the final whistle blew, they'd pulled it back to 3-3, with Aaronson playing a major part in helping his side get there.

Not named to the starting XI, Aaronson came off the bench to assist a goal from Anton Stach, aiding Leeds' comeback to make it 2-2. The Reds scored shortly after, but Leeds fired back again in the game's final moments to stun the defending champions.

Aaronson's impact came amid a mixed reception from the Elland Road crowd, but when push comes to shove, the American continues to show up for Leeds. The assist is his second of the year, and he's added a goal this season, too. Aaronson, of course, also continues to do the dirty work required for a Leeds team looking to stay in the Premier League.

Aaronson's big task this season was proving he was a Premier League-level player. The results of that are still to be determined. Moments like Saturday's help, though, as he showed he can make a difference off the bench against one of the game's top teams.

It's been a while since we've seen Gio Reyna start back-to-back games. It's been even longer since he's done it on short rest. Reyna is building, though, which is why he was back in the XI for Borussia Monchengladbach on Friday.

Just three days after playing 68 minutes against St. Pauli, Reyna was in the Gladbach XI again on Friday in a 1-0 win over Mainz. Reyna put in a strong shift, playing 69 minutes as an attacking midfielder, creating one chance, a cross, and providing three passes into the final third. Additionally, he won five of his eight duels and had two tackles, showing some of the defensive tenacity required from him even as a midfielder higher up the pitch.

Was it a life-changing performance? No, but it didn't have to be. Reyna is getting closer and closer to being a regular player. After so long on the sidelines and the substitutes bench, that's a win.

Noahkai Banks has gone through peaks and valleys, as all young players do. The Augsburg center back definitely hit a peak this weekend, though, to show why he might just be ready for the bright lights in time for the World Cup next summer.

Starting as part of Augsburg's back three, Banks was fantastic in a 2-0 win over Malik Tillman's Bayer Leverkusen. Despite having just 32 percent possession, Augsburg held firm against one of the Bundesliga's better teams. More impressively, Banks held firm, despite picking up a 10th-minute yellow card. The fact that he played all 90 minutes after that was a massive show of faith. It seems that Augsburg really believe in the quality of their young defender, who actually went on to win more duels than any player, even with that yellow card hanging over his head.

Still just 19, Banks has a lot of growing to do, and he's had some tough days this season. This weekend was undoubtedly one of his best, though, and it's the type of game that should help his confidence massively as he continues to blossom into a legitimate Bundesliga-level defender.

+ Weston McKennie also made his mark with an assist on a Kenan Yildiz goal, but Juventus couldn't take advantage as they fell, 2-1, to Napoli.

+ Chris Richards and Crystal Palace earned a 2-1 win over Fulham thanks to a late goal from Marc Guehi.

+ Patrick Agyemang had the fewest touches, but drew the most fouls in Derby County's clash with Leicester City. It wasn't enough, though, as Derby fell, 3-1.

+ Tyler Adams missed out on Bournemouth's 0-0 draw with Chelsea due to a suspension.

+ Yunus Musah remained on the bench for Atalanta's 3-1 loss to Hellas Verona on Saturday.

+ Mark McKenzie played all 90 minutes as Toulouse took an early lead and held onto it to defeat Strasbourg, 1-0.

+ It was a poor performance from Coventry City, who fell, 3-0, to Ipswich Town. Haji Wright only played the final 15 minutes.

+ Folarin Balogun missed out due to a muscle injury, and Monaco could have used him in a 1-0 loss to 10-man Brest.

+ Tim Weah played the entire match, but Marseille failed to break through in a 1-0 loss to Lille.

+ John Tolkin conceded a penalty and was taken off at halftime, but Holstein Kiel were able to earn a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Braunschweig in a game that saw both teams reduced to 10 men.

+ Auston Trusty put in a fantastic shift for Celtic, completing more passes than any other player while also having the highest pass accuracy of any player on the pitch. Despite that, Celtic lost Wilfried Nancy's first game, 2-1, to Hearts.