Soccer

6 of the best forwards to play for both Liverpool and Manchester City rated and ranked

Mario Balotelli 
Mario Balotelli  Mario Balotelli 

Liverpool and Manchester City will go head to head this weekend in a game which could decide who Chelsea’s closest challengers for the Premier League title are this season.

The pair have a rich history in England’s top division, and have in fact shared some of the league’s most high-profile forwards – but which is best?

6. Mario Balotelli

Manchester City 2010-2013, Liverpool 2014-2016

(Nigel French/EMPICS Sport)

Oh Mario. It all started so well at City for the promising youngster, who, let’s not forget, is still only 26 years old. His move from Inter Milan promised big things, and initially he looked like delivering.

He contributed 13 league goals to Manchester City’s first ever Premier League title in the 2011/12 season, with his famous “Why always me?” celebration in City’s 6-1 thrashing of rivals Manchester United the most memorable moment for the Italy striker.

Balotelli also earned two red cards that season, and eventually left in January 2013, but returned to the Premier League in 2014 with Liverpool. After a meagre one goal in 16 games however, he was loaned out and eventually sold to Nice.

5. Craig Bellamy

Liverpool 2006-2007 and 2011-2012, Manchester City 2009-2011

(John Walton/EMPICS Sport)

Craig Bellamy, truly a Premier League enigma, played for many clubs including Liverpool twice. Remarkably he managed an almost identical league record across both seasons for the Reds: 2006/2007 – 27 games, seven goals; 2011/12 – 27 games, six goals.

The Welshman also managed to score against Barcelona as Liverpool made their way to the 2007 Champions League final, but it wasn’t enough to keep him at Anfield. He left in 2007, and two years later found himself at City.

Bellamy managed 40 league games and 12 goals with the Citizens, keeping things ticking over but hardly setting the world alight. He managed braces against Manchester United and Chelsea during his time, before moving back to Liverpool for his second spell with the side.

4. Daniel Sturridge

Manchester City 2006-2009, Liverpool 2013-present

(Barrington Coombs/EMPICS Sport)

Daniel Sturridge finds himself fourth on our list, but were it not for injuries he could have worked his way higher.

Studge began his career as a trainee at Manchester City, but could only manage 21 league games and five goals. Cue a move to Chelsea, which didn’t work, and a move to Liverpool, which sort of has done.

He flew out of the blocks at Anfield, scoring 10 league goals from January to May, before combining potently with Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling to bring Liverpool close to the Premier League title in 2014.

Unfortunately injury and managerial change has kept Sturridge from pushing on, but he has time left to make himself a Liverpool legend.

3. Nicolas Anelka

Liverpool 2001-2002, Manchester City 2002-2005

(Gareth Copley/PA)

The complete football journeyman, Nicolas Anelka was bound to play for both of these clubs at one point or another.

The French striker moved on loan from Paris St Germain to Liverpool in 2001, but, despite helping them finish second that season with 20 games and four goals, manager Gerard Houllier opted to sign El Hadji Diouf instead.

Anelka than found himself at Manchester City, where he enjoyed far greater success. With 89 league games came 38 goals, Anelka became one of the Premiership’s better strikers in an era of Thierry Henry, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Michael Owen.

2. Raheem Sterling

Liverpool 2010-2015, Manchester City 2015-present

(Adam Davy/EMPICS Sport)

Despite still finding his way at Manchester City, Raheem Sterling’s young career has delivered on much that was promised, with the best still to come.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a breakout year in 2012/13, before really writing his name in lights the next season as he, Suarez and Sturridge lit up the Premier League with goals galore.

Eventually City came calling, and, at £49 million, Liverpool couldn’t refuse. The England forward has shown glimpses of his potential since, but has struggled to keep his place in the City team. Pep Guardiola could elevate him to world-class level.

1. Robbie Fowler

Liverpool 1992-2001 and 2006-2007, Manchester City 2003-2006

(Steve Mitchell/EMPICS Sport)

One of Liverpool’s great strikers, and certainly worthy of top spot on this list. Robbie Fowler enjoyed the first nine years of his career with Liverpool, and it was time well spent, scoring 121 league goals in 237 games.

Fowler managed to win the FA Cup, the League Cup twice, and the Uefa Cup during his first stint at Anfield, recording the Premier League’s fastest hat-trick (since beaten) against Arsenal in just four minutes and 33 seconds.

Fowler made the move to City in 2003, and showed patches of the form he exhibited at Liverpool, but after three years made the move back to Anfield before winding down towards the end of his career.