Top 10 players to play for both Liverpool and Manchester City

There have been many players that represented both giants of English football.

Manchester City and Liverpool are two of the strongest football teams in the world at the moment. They have been direct rivals in the Premier League in recent years. While Jurgen Klopp has transformed the fortunes of the Reds, making them champions after many years, Pep Guardiola has taken MCFC to new levels, overshadowing everyone including their neighbours Manchester United. 

Their upcoming clash in the Premier League will be as entertaining as all the previous ones have been. These two teams have a history of sharing players as well. James Milner of LFC and Scott Carson of MCFC are two players, currently active, who have previously played for the other side too.

A lot of high-profile players have taken the field for both outfits in the past. Here is a look at ten players to play for both the Reds and the Cityzens.

Craig Bellamy

Craig Bellamy was short in height but tall in talent. A pacy winger with an eye for goal, he was a Liverpool player in 2006. Post playing for his favourite club since boyhood, Bellamy signed for MCFC in 2009 for £14 million. The Welshman joined the Reds again in 2011 for a season.

David James

David James, formerly of Kerala Blasters, also played for both Manchester City and Liverpool. The custodian joined the Reds in 1992 and then played for them for seven years before moving to Aston Villa. He signed for Man City in 2004 before moving to Portsmouth in 2006.

Nicolas Anelka

Nicolas Anelka developed a reputation for playing for multiple teams. Manchester City and Liverpool also feature on his long list of clubs. The Frenchman played for the Reds after signing for them in 2002 on loan from PSG and joined MCFC the same year on a permanent deal.  

Scott Carson

Scott Carson is one of the two active players who have played for both Manchester City and Liverpool. The custodian signed for LFC back in 2005, during the early stages of his career. After 14 years as a professional, the Englishman joined Manchester City in 2019 on loan from Derby County which later became a permanent move.

Kolo Toure

Kolo Toure earned a lot of success at Manchester City after signing for them in 2009. The defender then moved to Liverpool in 2013 following a decent spell with the Cityzens. He played 102 matches for MCFC and 71 for LFC.

Daniel Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge broke through the ranks at Manchester City but could not make a lasting impact. He moved to Chelsea on a free transfer in 2009 before eventually joining Liverpool in 2013. He stayed at the club until 2019 following which, the striker moved to Trabzonspor and then to Perth Glory.

Robbie Fowler

Robbie Fowler is a Liverpool legend and scored 183 goals in 369 games for them. Between two spells with the Reds, Fowler played for Manchester City for three years. He scored 27 goals for them in 92 games. 

Mario Balotelli

Mario Balotelli became extremely popular with Manchester City fans after helping win the Premier League for the first time ever in 2012. Post the falling-out with Roberto Mancini, the Italian left for AC Milan in 2013. He joined Liverpool for the 2014-15 season where he scored once in 16 matches.

James Milner

James Milner is one of the longest-serving professionals whose career has spanned 20 years. He formerly played for Manchester City, signing for them in 2010. Five years later, he joined Liverpool and still plays for them. The 36-year-old has won the Premier League with both teams. 

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling was at the receiving end of a lot of anger from Liverpool fans after agreeing to join Manchester City in 2015 for £50 million. This is because the Englishman came from the academy ranks at LFC and joined direct rivals MCFC, winning many trophies with them after the move. Now a Chelsea player, Sterling won 12 trophies with City.