--- title: "Manchester United vs Arsenal: Played for both" canonical: "https://readmanutd.com/2015/05/16/manchester-united-vs-arsenal-played-for-both/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" section: "Man Utd Match Previews" published: "2015-05-16T16:28:27Z" modified: "2015-05-16T16:28:27Z" --- # Manchester United vs Arsenal: Played for both The rivalry between Manchester United and Arsenal is a historic one. Despite their geographical separation, the fans of both clubs feel a certain passion in wanting to beat each other. The bragging rights between the two sides are reward enough, but they almost always find themselves close to each other in the league table too. This time around, the fixture is in the penultimate game-week of the 2014-15 Premier League season and the sides are narrowly separated on points, in fourth  and third place respectively. Over the years, quite a number of players have made the step from one club to the other – risking the wrath of the fans of their original club forever. The switch alone is enough to gain the adoration of the new fans at the other club, but many of the 12 men brave enough to do so have found success in their new pastures, as we will see in this article. **1.** **David Herd** The lethal frontman enjoyed fruitful spells at both clubs, mustering an impressive strike rate. He first played for Arsenal between 1954 and 1961, scoring 99 goals in 166 appearances. He was snapped up by Sir Matt Busby and bettered himself at Old Trafford, with 145 goals in 265 appearances. He scored twice in 1963 FA Cup Final to loft United to victory and won the Division One title two seasons later, scoring crucial goals along the way **2. Ian Ure** Ure didn’t manage any real success with either team, enduring a horror show in the 1969 League Cup Final as Arsenal lost to Swindon before moving to United in 1969, spending two years at the club before moving to Motherwell. \[Arsenal 1963-1969 – two goals in 202 appearances\] \[United 1969-1971 – one goal in 65 appearances\] **3.** **George Graham** The third player to move to United from Arsenal without any going the other way was George Graham. The attack-minded player who could play up front or in the midfield enjoyed the most success at Arsenal, where he made 308 appearances between 1966 and 1972. He won the league and FA Cup double with the London club in his penultimate season in the capital. He made his move to United in 1972, making just 46 appearances and scoring twice in two seasons – not quite having the same creative impact as he did in Arsenal’s red. **4.** **Jimmy Rimmer** Rimmer’s nine years at United were spent as a backup to the club legend Alex Stepney, arguably one of the greatest goalkeepers in United’s history. Subsequently he only made 46 appearances, but Bertie Mee of Arsenal saw his limited appearances as impressive enough to warrant a chance at the number one jersey at Highbury. It took him just one season to win this accolade and he was named Arsenal’s player of the season in 1975, also being rewarded with his first England cap. He made 146 appearances in his three seasons in London. **5. Brian Kidd** Kidd was one of the best natural goalscorers of his generation, but was one of a few at United who reached the highest high and the lowest low in one period at the club. He scored in United’s 1968 European Cup Final victory over Benfica, featuring alongside the likes of Dennis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best – before being relegated with the club in 1974. This is when he parted ways with Old Trafford – going to Arsenal and finishing his first season at top scorer. However, his best days were behind him and he couldn’t emulate his record for United, meaning his spell at Highbury lasted just two seasons. **6.** **Frank Stapleton** Failing to win two of three FA Cup Finals with Arsenal between 1971 and 1981, coupled with consistent fourth-placed finishes and little ambition in the transfer market frustrated Stapleton away from the club – he chose United as his destination and his lust for success paid off.  He made 288 appearances in seven years at Old Trafford, winning the 1983 and 1985 FA Cup competitions, scoring 78 goals along the way. He is remembered with fondness by many in the Stretford End. **7.** **Viv Anderson** Anderson was a cult hero at Arsenal, being England’s first black player to play a competitive international as well as scoring a vital goal against Tottenham Hotspur on the way to League Cup success in 1987. The solid defender holds the accolade of being Sir Alex Ferguson’s very first signing as Manchester United manager – he spent four years with the club and scored as many goals. **8.** **Jim Leighton** In three years at Old Trafford, Leighton struggled to hold down his spot as first choice goalkeeper and in 1991 he was sent out on loan to Arsenal by Sir Alex Ferguson in a bid for him to play some first-team football – but he failed to impress at Highbury and never made an appearance between the sticks. 9\. **David Platt** David Platt was the first player to be at both United and Arsenal without a direct transfer between the two clubs. He signed his first professional contract at United in 1982 but failed to make an appearance in three years there – he moved to Crewe before a switch to Arsenal 10 years later, where he did get in the side; 108 times. He scored 15 goals from midfield during his three years with the Gunners, wrapping up his spell there by winning the league in 1998. **10.** **Andy Cole** Starting out at Arsenal, two substitute appearances there were not very much to talk about. The academy graduate moved to Newcastle in 1992, impressing at St James’ Park before a £7 million move to Old Trafford in 1995, where he wrote himself into United folklore and embedded himself in the hearts of the Stretford End. He was absolutely crucial to United’s treble win in 1999, forming a lethal partnership with Dwight Yorke of Trinidad and Tobago. He ended up tallying 93 goals in six years at the club. **11.** **Mikael Silvestre** The French international defender could play centre-back and left-back – and did so for nine years at United. He made 361 appearances for the club, winning league titles, the FA and League Cups and the 2008 Champions League final in Moscow before Sir Alex Ferguson chose to move him on to Arsenal. Past his peak, his time there wasn’t all too memorable and he only lasted two years at the club, scoring six goals in 46 appearances. **12.** **Robin van Persie** The Flying Dutchman made 279 appearances for Arsenal – scoring in the penalty shootout against United to win the 2005 FA Cup Final. He was the Gunners’ captain and a fan favourite, but he discarded the Emirates for Old Trafford to join forces with Sir Alex Ferguson in a bid to win a league title, something Arsenal didn’t do in his time there. He took the number 20 shirt and delivered Manchester United’s 20th league title. He finished his debut season at the biggest club in the country as the league’s top scorer and caught the attention and hearts of the fans with his thunderous displays. Highlights of his at United include his hat-trick against Southampton in his first season, his stunning volley to complete a hat-trick and seal the league title against Aston Villa, and his free-kick in front of the Stretford End to finish another hat-trick and send United through to the Champions League quarter finals in 2013/14.