Players who starred for Arsenal and Liverpool

Players who starred for Arsenal and Liverpool


By Jonny Bray
Arsenal and Liverpool are two of the greatest clubs in England.
With 32 league titles between them, the Gunners and the Reds have dominated domestic competitions and boasted some of the greatest players this country has seen over the years.
The two clubs also have a long history of selling top players to each other, with several stars moving from London to Merseyside or vice-versa.
They meet for the 236th time on Wednesday, and with that in mind, it is time to take a look at those players who have donned the red of Liverpool and Arsenal.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may never have lived up to the high expectations Arsenal fans placed on him, but he has gone on to have a great career with both sides.
He was a fan favourite at the Emirates after exploding onto the scene in 2011, scoring 20 goals and recording 32 assists in 198 appearances across all competitions for the Gunners.
Fans may not have liked the nature of his departure, which saw him put in a poor performance against Liverpool before joining the club a couple of days later. Still, few would begrudge the winger-turned-midfielder for his success on Merseyside.
Since the move, he's won the Premier League, Champions League and League Cup, all while recovering from a serious injury that kept him out of action for over 300 days.
He also has an impressive record of 17 goals and 14 assists in 132 games for Liverpool.

Kolo Toure

Kolo Toure's best years were at Arsenal, but Liverpool fans still hold the Côte d'Ivoire defender in very high regard.
He spent seven years at Arsenal and is one of the club's great characters of the Premier League era.
The centre-back won two Premier League titles and three FA Cups during his time in North London, but he won the hearts of Gunners fans with his enthusiasm and bizarre mannerisms.
Despite another contentious departure, this time to Manchester City, Gunners fans still have a lot of love for Toure, who was a crucial part of the Invincibles squad of 2003/04.
After four years in Manchester, he made the move to Liverpool, where he was part of a side that pushed his former employers all the way in the title race.
Luis Suárez led the line that year as Toure made 24 appearances in all competitions.
But despite being popular amongst fans, it's undeniable that the defence cost his side the title that year.

Nicolas Anelka

Maybe the greatest journeyman of all time, Nicolas Anelka had it all.
The Frenchman had pace, skill and lethal finishing during his spell with both clubs.
He joined Arsenal from PSG right at the start of his career and immediately made a massive impact.
Despite his young age, he scored 28 goals and recorded 12 assists in 86 games, including a superb finish in the 1998 FA Cup Final against Newcastle.
He left for Real Madrid in 1999, making way for another young French star to grace the Highbury pitch.
That move backfired, though, and after a disappointing spell in Spain and a return to PSG, Anelka was back in the Premier League.
He joined Liverpool on loan this time, scoring his first goal against Everton after an assist from a young Steven Gerrard.
He went on to score five goals for his new side, but a disastrous bit of decision making from manager Gérard Houllier meant he was never signed on a permanent deal.
Instead, Houllier opted to sign the universally unpopular El Hadji Diouf.

Jermaine Pennant

Another player who had a fascinating career, Jermaine Pennant had all the potential to become a club legend at Arsenal.
But sadly, off-field issues and a lack of game time meant he never fulfilled his potential in North London.
He left the club with three goals and three assists in 26 appearances across all competitions, but after a successful year with Birmingham City, the winger found himself at another of England's great clubs.
He joined Liverpool for just under £7 million and was far more successful than he was for Arsenal.He made 81 appearances, scoring three goals and recording 18 assists as well as also appearing in the 2007 Champions League final defeat to AC Milan.

Photo Credit: Getty Images 

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