This week features a pair of fixtures between Arsenal and Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s men got the better of things on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final, but Arsene Wenger will have his chance at revenge on Thursday in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, a plethora of players have switched between the duo in transfer windows past. Here is an eleven made from players who have lined up for both Arsenal and Manchester City.
Played for both Arsenal and Manchester City XI
David Seaman – GK
David Seaman started his club career at Leeds United, although couldn’t break into the first team. He moved around a bit in his early years, playing for Peterborough United, Birmingham City and Queens Park Rangers before catching the eye of George Graham.
The then-Arsenal manager brought in Seaman for £1.3 million in the summer of 1990.
Seaman stayed at Highbury for over a decade, making over 550 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners. Notably, he also helped them to three League titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup and one UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
Arsene Wenger deemed him surplus to requirement at the end of the 2002-2003 season, allowing the ‘keeper to leave on a free. He chose to join Manchester City, although didn’t last his first year. David Seaman retired from the game in January 2004, at the age of 40.
Currently, Seaman works as a goalkeeping coach with Wembley FC.
Bacary Sagna – RB
Bacary Sagna began his career in his native France with Auxerre and future teammate Abou Diaby. Arsene Wenger plucked the right-back from Ligue 1 in the summer of 2007 and immediately put him in the starting XI.
Over the course of seven seasons with the Gunners, Sagna made 284 appearances in all competitions. However, his tenure at the club coincided with the majority of the trophy drought between the 2005 and 2014 FA Cups.
So, the Frenchman only captured the one trophy with the North Londoners, the 2014 FA Cup. However, that same summer Sagna refused a new contract and joined Manchester City on a free.
Over three seasons at the Etihad, the full-back made 86 appearances in all competitions and winning the 2016 League Cup. He left last summer at the end of his contract, joining Benevento in Serie A.
Gael Clichy – LB
Who better to play opposite from Bacary Sagna but Gael Clichy? The pair spent four seasons at the Emirates and three at the Etihad playing on opposite wings.
Clichy joined Arsenal in 2003 from Cannes and spent the year deputizing Ashley Cole. That same year, the Gunners went the entire League season unbeaten, earning the ‘Invincibles’ name.
However, the remaining seven years Gael Clichy spent in North London were far less successful. The full-back remained at the club until 2011, when Manchester City paid £7 million for his services.
Clichy stayed at the Etihad for six full years, making 203 appearances to compliment the 264 he made for Arsenal. He is currently playing in the Turkish league for İstanbul Başakşehir.
He left England with three Leagues, one FA Cup and two League Cups.
Kolo Toure – CB
Kolo Toure is one of two Africans who make the former Arsenal and Manchester City XI. The defender started his career in the Ivory Coast, at ASEC Mimosas before Arsenal bought him in 2002.
Toure spent seven years between Highbury and the Emirates, making 326 appearances along the way. He was a big factor in the Invincibles campaign when the Ivorian played in all but one League match.
The defender also earned two FA Cups during his time with the Gunners. However, allegedly due to a bust-up with defensive partner William Gallas, Toure requested a move away in 2009.
Manchester City‘s new-found wealth came calling in the form of a £14 million transfer. Toure lasted four years in light blue, helping the team to their first League title in 44 years.
The defender ended his Premier League career with a three-year stint at Anfield before moving to Celtic. He won the treble in his lone season in Scotland, and now assists both Celtic and his native Ivory Coast in a coaching capacity.
Sylvinho – CB
Sylvinho deployed at left-back, but the former Arsenal and Manchester City XI needs two centre-backs, so he’ll just have to play out of position.
The Brazilian started his career at Corinthians, spending five years in his native country. He then became the first Brazilian player in Arsenal’s history when he joined the club in 1999.
The full-back only lasted two seasons at Highbury before Ashley Cole displaced him as first choice. Sylvinho spent the next eight years of his career in Spain, playing for Celta Vigo before Barcelona came calling.
He finished his career back in the Premier League with Manchester City, however, playing one full season before hanging up his boots. Sylvinho made 72 appearances for Arsenal and 16 for Manchester City in all competitions.
Samir Nasri – RM
The Frenchman began his career in his hometown Marseille. After breaking into the first team, he caught the eye of Arsene Wenger, who brought him to North London in 2008 for a reported £12 million.
The player spent three full seasons with Arsenal before declining a contract extension. After 125 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, the winger switched to Manchester City for around £25 million.
At the Etihad, Nasri helped the Cityzens to two Premier Leagues and a League Cup before going out on loan to Sevilla for the 2016-2017 season. Over the summer of 2017, Manchester City sold him to Antalyaspor for €3.5 million.
However, in January 2018, the player’s contract was terminated by mutual consent. He is currently serving a six-month ban for a doping incident from 2016.
Patrick Vieira – CM
Patrick Vieira started his illustrious career at Cannes, although caught the eye of AC Milan soon after. He couldn’t find his way into the first team at the San Siro, however, and left after just five senior appearances.
Arsenal, under the advisement of Arsene Wenger just months before he took charge, signed Vieira in 1996 for £3.5 million. For almost a decade, the midfielder patrolled the centre of the park for the Gunners, becoming a club legend in the process.
Patrick Vieira made 406 appearances for the club in all competitions, helping them to a plethora of silverware in the process. Arsenal won three Premier Leagues and three FA Cups with Vieira in the squad. They also won the 2002-2003 FA Cup final, though without Vieira present due to injury.
The midfielder eventually moved on to Juventus for a season and Inter Milan for four before joining Manchester City on a free transfer. He retired from the game after two seasons and one FA Cup at the Etihad.
Vieira currently manages New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Eddie McGoldrick – CM
McGoldrick was known to play both on the wing and in centre-midfield, which is where he will go for the former Arsenal and Manchester City XI.
The midfielder moved from Crystal Palace to Arsenal in 1993, following the former’s relegation from the Premier League. In his first season, he won his only trophy with the Gunners, the 1993 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
As his importance to the squad dwindled, McGoldrick went on loan to Manchester City in 1996, before making the move permanent just weeks later. He eventually helped the team win the Second Division Playoff in 1999 before retiring that same year.
Eddie McGoldrick currently serves as the Foundation Academy Head Coach at Crystal Palace.
David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle – LM
Rocky Rocastle came through the academy ranks at Arsenal and eventually spent seven full seasons with the first team. He made 228 League appearances for the Gunners, helping them to two Leagues and a League Cup.
He then spent eighteen months at Elland Road before moving again to Manchester City. Rocastle made 21 League appearances for the Cityzens before moving to Chelsea.
After loans to Norwich City and Hull City, the midfielder ended his playing days at Maylasian club Sabah FA.
Sadly, Rocky Rocastle’s post-football life was cut short by non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He passed away on 31 March 2001 aged just 33.
Emmanuel Adebayor – ST
After beginning his career in France playing for Metz and then Monaco, Adebayor joined Arsenal in 2006 for £3 million. Over four seasons at the club, he made 142 appearances, scoring 62 goals in all competitions.
In July 2009, Manchester City’s riches came calling via a £25 million transfer fee. He lasted just two seasons at the Etihad, including a loan move to Real Madrid. He scored 19 in 45 matches for Manchester City.
Adebayor’s antics against his former team were probably more memorable than his actual play. In his first match against Arsenal, the striker ran the entire length of the pitch to celebrate his goal in front of the travelling fans and kicked Robin van Persie in the face.
He spent six months on loan at Real Madrid before joining Tottenham Hotspur for four seasons. Adebayor moved to Crystal Palace afterword and now plays for İstanbul Başakşehir, alongside Gael Clichy.
Given his antics, few if any fans will lament the fact he didn’t win a single trophy during his time in England.
Nicolas Anelka – ST
Nicolas Anelka is a true journeyman, so no surprise that he makes it to the former Arsenal and Manchester City XI. He started his career at PSG before moving to Arsenal in 1997 for a reported £500,000.
Anelka made 90 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners, netting 28 goals. He helped the team win the League and Cup double in 1997-1998 before eventually joining Real Madrid.
Another stop at PSG and a loan to Liverpool later and he found himself at Manchester City for the 2002-2003 season after a £13 million move. Anelka made 103 appearances in all competitions, scoring 45 goals and failing to win any silverware.
The striker has also played for Fenerbahçe, Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua, Juventus, West Bromwich Albion and Mumbai City.
Who is your favourite former Arsenal and Manchester City player? What about least favourite? Be sure to leave it in the comments section below!
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