People in London better accept that football will be used on different terms this weekend, as NY Giants fans will be packing the streets in anticipation of the showdown with the Green Bay Packers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. While we’re used to ‘football’ stars in the Premier League lighting up the field, Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley and Co. will be doing so in Week 5.
This upcoming trip across the pond got us thinking: who would we compare NY players/coaches to if they were suiting up in the English Premier League, easily the best league in the world? We’re taking a stab at things in this piece as we get you ready for the action:
5. NY Giants WR Kenny Golladay as Manchester United defender Harry Maguire
This might be the most obvious choice of all. Kenny Golladay was signed to his massive four-year, $72 million contract last offseason. He was expected to be the next big star in the Big Apple and help power the Giants to plenty of glory. Through four games in 2022, Golladay has two receptions to his name and no touchdowns. He didn’t score once last season either.
So, he’s overpaid and not performing? Hey Big Blue nation, let us introduce you to Manchester United captain Harry Maguire. This guy is hated in Manchester. United set a world record in the purchase of Maguire from Leicester City and he was expected to be the team’s savior. That hasn’t been the case.
Maguire is a complete and total liability on defense and he’s thankfully lost his starting job this season thanks to new manager Erik ten Hag arriving at Old Trafford. Maguire is the textbook definition of overrated and people want him out of town as soon as possible. The same no doubt can be said for Kenny G.
4. NY Giants RB Saquon Barkley as Manchester City MF Kevin De Bruyne
What a year it has been for Saquon Barkley. Through four weeks of 2022, he’s No. 1 in the NFL with his 463 rushing yards. A lot of people wrote off Barkley, claiming he was done. Right now, though, he’s the straw that stirs the drink for this team. People had forgotten about Barkley, but they now know how good he can be.
Speaking of someone who stirs the drink for their team… Kevin De Bruyne is a bad, bad man. He’s without question one of the best midfielders in the world and that won’t be changing in the near future. A lot of the attention in the EPL is going to Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, as the two each recorded hat-tricks against Manchester United recently.
However, this team runs through De Bruyne and he’s helped this team win four of the last five league titles. De Bruyne will be ready to put on a show in Qatar at the 2022 World Cup as well. While Barkley won’t be powering the Giants to a Super Bowl title this season, both he and De Bruyne are incredibly important to their squads.
3. NY Giants OT Andrew Thomas as Tottenham forward Heung Min-Son
For Tottenham Hotspur, a lot of the focus is always going to go to Harry Kane, but goodness me, Mr. Reliable has to be Heung-Min Son. Whenever Spurs is in need of a guy to deliver and find the back of the net, Sonny is there with a golden shot either with his left or right foot. This man can do it all and he doesn’t even come close to getting the kind of respect he deserves.
The exact same can be said for NY Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas. Despite having a horrendous rookie season, Thomas has flipped the script on his NFL career. He played at a Pro Bowl level in 2021 and now he’s 100 percent looking like an All-Pro player through the first four games of the year for the G-Men.
Thomas is actually the highest-graded offensive lineman right now per Pro Football Focus. Not too long ago, people were ready to write him off and give up on his potential. He’s looked like a total monster this fall and only more pancake blocks will be on the way for Thomas. It’s only fitting more great plays will be coming on Sunday in the place Son calls home.
2. NY Giants DT Dexter Lawrence as Liverpool CB Virgil Van Dijk
There’s arguably no other defender in the EPL more feared than Virgil Van Dijk. Sure, his play has dropped a little bit this season, but he’s still an absolute unit and makes some of the best players in the world look like babies going up against him. He’s the heart and soul of that Liverpool defense.
That’s why it’s only fitting that we link him up with Dexter Lawrence. With Leonard Williams injured, Lawrence has had to up his game for the defense and we saw just how valuable he is to this team with his spectacular performance in Week 4 going up against the Chicago Bears. Lawrence was the best player on defense on the field by a long shot.
In that win over the NFC North side, Lawrence posted five tackles, two sacks and eight quarterback pressures from the interior. That’s the kind of performance that’s going to fire up the fanbase and understandably so. Lawrence is only going to get better when Williams returns to full health. It’s also great for him knowing Azeez Ojulari and Kayvon Thibodeaux will also get a ton of attention too.
1. NY Giants’ Brian Daboll as Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag
No, this isn’t just because Brian Daboll and Erik ten Hag are both bald and have facial hair. These men have been tasked with getting back their respective teams back to where they belong. They’ere also both in their first years with the new squads, though ten Hag does have head coach/manager experience, arriving from Ajax.
Starting with ten Hag, it’s no secret that things have been a complete and total mess for Manchester United. Early on this season, ten Hag has seen some promising results for his team, which included unreal wins at home vs. Liverpool and Arsenal. However, the 6-3 loss to Manchester City was a reminder that there’s still a lot of work to be done.
Sound familiar? The Giants, under the leadership of Daboll, have posted wins over the Bears, Panthers and Titans. Fans loved seeing that. However, people in East Rutherford were humbled following the Monday Night Football loss to the rival Dallas Cowboys in Week 3. Losses to the Cowboys and Manchester City? That’s enough to keep Giants/United fans up all night.
Daboll isn’t expected to power the Giants to Super Bowl glory this season, but he has people believing again. For ten Hag, United won’t be winning the Premier League title this year either, but the belief in the club is as high at it has been in a while. People believe in the process. It’ll be on both of these guys to keep things moving forward for their respective squads.
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