Tim Howard does not see himself as the USA's number two goalkeeper.

The 36-year-old Everton star finds himself behind Aston Villa counterpart Brad Guzan in the national team pecking order but insists he will not change the way he goes about things as the US prepare a home friendly double header with Peru and Brazil this weekend and next week.

"I've never been a backup. I think that's a mentality, you know?" said the 2014 World Cup hero.

"I work my tail off every day. I know what it means to compete at the highest level, to have a certain level of excellence. And I do that.

"I've never been a backup. I never will be. So that's not something I worry about too much."

Howard took more than a year off the international scene following last summer's World Cup in Brazil and has returned to the US setup to find his position now held safely by Guzan.