DENVER—With Tim Howard because of a back injury suffered in a FA Cup match against Oldham, the No. 2 keeper on the American depth chart is ready to step in.Brad Guzan, the starting goalkeeper for Premier League relegation candidates Aston Villa, has calmed the nerves of U.S. fans with his tremendous performances for his club and says he can do the same for his country.

“I feel confident,” he said. “For the first time in a few years now I’ve been playing consistently over in England, so I feel confident, I feel ready. I’m not new to the national team and I’m excited for the opportunity.”

The 28-year-old re-signed with Villa this offseason despite the presence of Shay Given, another top goalkeeper, on the roster. Guzan beat out the Irishman for the number one job in the Midlands and has impressed with his form. Even though the injury to Howard, the starter at Everton, has given him the opportunity to start, the younger keeper noted he’s hopeful for Howard’s quick return. “Obviously Tim’s a great goalkeeper,” he said. “We hope for a speedy recovery from his injury. It’s an opportunity for us to step up and make sure we take care of business on Friday.”

Injuries have forced Jurgen Klinsmann to call in a young back line for this set of qualifiers, but even without a mainstay at goalie, the unit has confidence that Guzan can bail them out should they falter.

“Obviously Tim is a tremendous goalkeeper, but Brad’s not going to miss a beat either,” said Geoff Cameron, the defender with the most national team experience on the American roster. “I feel confident playing in front of him, and I think with him between the posts… you’ve got to feel solid. The guy makes saves for Aston Villa all the time. He’s playing in one of the best leagues in the world, and he gets a good amount of shots a game, so I’m pretty confident he can get the job done.”

The usual back up has started important matches before, coming in with a 3-1-1 record in World Cup qualifying. Couple that with his Premier League experience, and you can tell Guzan is used to the big stage. “I don’t feel nervous,” he said. “We’re excited, the guys are excited, we’re looking forward to the game. It’s going to be a great atmosphere here in Denver.”

Jon Arnold (@ArnoldcommaJon) is a writer based in Arizona and is ASN's CONCACAF correspondent.