5 players who played for both Arsenal and Tottenham

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Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino will go head to head after the international break

Any Arsenal or Tottenham fan will tell you that the North London Derby is the biggest game of the season given Tottenham's resurgence as a Champions League force and Arsenal's demotion to the Europa League.

The derby has been fiercely contested over the years and both sets of fans are up for it from the word go for this fixture every year. Very few players have plied their trade in Arsenal and Tottenham colours due to the heated rivalry between the two clubs. In this segment, we take a look at five players who represented both the clubs during their time in England.

#5 David Bentley

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David Bentley

David Bentley came through the Arsenal academy and went on to make nine appearances for the first team, including one during the Gunners' infamous unbeaten season in 2003/04, before leaving to join Blackburn Rovers where he found much of his success.

The England international displayed some excellent performances for Blackburn which prompted Tottenham Hotspur, the arch-rivals of his boyhood club, to make a move for the midfielder. Despite initially impressing, his career fell apart eventually and after a few loan spells, he announced his retirement in 2014, at the age of just 29.

Bentley was widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the country during his initial days but failed to deliver at the highest level on a regular basis owing partly to injuries and a lack of consistency.

#4 William Gallas

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William Gallas

William Gallas joined Arsenal from rivals Chelsea as a part of an exchange deal between the London clubs that saw Ashley Cole move in the opposite direction right after the 2006 World Cup. The Frenchman impressed Arsene Wenger so much that he was named captain after the imminent departure of cult hero Thierry Henry in 2007.

But despite good performances in defence, Gallas' leadership was often questioned and he was stripped of the captaincy after an incident which involved him criticizing his teammates publicly in an interview.

Gallas was released in the summer of 2010 by the Gunners and he decided to join rivals Tottenham for free. But he was clearly past his prime and struggled to put in good performances before being released in 2013.

#3 Pat Jennings

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Pat Jennings

The Northern Ireland goalkeeper joined Tottenham at the age of 19 and spent 13 years at White Hart Lane during which he also managed to make more than 500 appearances for the club before deciding to join rivals Arsenal. During his time with Spurs, Jennings managed to win the FA Cup in 1967 and the League Cup in 1971.

Tottenham thought Jennings was way past his prime when they allowed his move to Arsenal but the player proved them wrong and spent eight years in the red half of North London, making over 250 appearances.

Jennings was also the first goalkeeper to be awarded PFA's player of the year accolade and till date remains as only one of two alongside Peter Shilton to win the famous award.

#2 Emmanuel Adebayor

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Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor was a constant thorn for the Tottenham side during his time at the Emirates, regularly scoring in the derbies but after a failed move to Manchester City, the Togo forward joined Spurs initially on loan, before making the move permanent.

Adebayor, famous for his celebration against Arsenal when playing for Manchester City, enjoyed some periods of rich form at Spurs but was plagued with inconsistency and a lack of commitment and was finally released in the summer of 2015.

Despite being a regular at Arsenal and scoring over 50 goals for the club, the Gunners faithful will not have a lot of affection for the striker after his antics at the Etihad.

#1 Sol Campbell

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Sol Campbell

Sol Campbell came through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur and was made captain of the side at the age of 23. He quickly established himself as a defensive rock for the side but soon grew frustrated with the lack of ambition and success at the club. With his contract running down in the summer of 2001, Campbell decided to make the controversial move to rivals Arsenal on a free transfer.

Despite being criticized and abused by the Tottenham fans who considered him a traitor, Campbell enjoyed huge success at Arsenal where he won two Premier League titles and scored in a Champions League Final. The England international was also a key figure in the Arsenal side that managed to go unbeaten in the league during the 2003/04 season, a feat unmatched by any side till date.

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Edited by Nived Zenith