Crossing the Divide: Ranking the 5 Best Players to Represent Arsenal and Chelsea

All eyes will be on Stamford Bridge this Sunday as Chelsea take on Arsenal in a crunch London derby.

The Blues are the early season pace-setters, sitting three points clear of Aston Villa at the top of the table, with Arsenal a further three behind in fourth.

It will be the first time both teams have met since Chelsea thumped the Gunners 6-0 in March—a game that all but ended Arsenal's title hopes last term.

Victory for Jose Mourinho's side on Sunday will also see Chelsea seriously dent their aspirations in 2014/15, moving nine points clear of the Gunners—a considerable gap so early in the campaign.

Throw in a city rivalry and two managers with a mutual dislike of each other and you have all the ingredients for a memorable game.

Indeed, this is a fixture with plenty of history, and it's one that has often enjoyed added spice when former players have come up against their old clubs.

More recently, Ashley Cole turned out for Chelsea against Arsenal, while the likes of David Rocastle, George Graham, Colin Pates, Emmanuel Petit, Bobby Gould, Peter Nicholas, Alan Hudson and others have played for both teams.

The list is an impressive one, but who ranks as the best player to feature for the Blues and Gunners?

Cesc Fabregas faces Arsenal for the first time as a Chelsea player on Sunday and given the infancy of his Blues career, we've chalked him off our top five list.

It's still one that contains plenty talent, though, so enjoy!

5. Tommy Baldwin

The name Tommy Baldwin isn't the most glamorous to have emerged from the 1960s and 1970s, but that shouldn't mean he is overlooked in this list of Arsenal and Chelsea greats.

Baldwin had been an emerging talent in the Arsenal youth system in the early 1960s and scored the club's first-ever goal in the newly formed League Cup.

Bertie Mee swapped the then 21-year-old for the experienced George Graham, though, with Baldwin joining Chelsea in 1966.

It was at Stamford Bridge where he enjoyed his best years, scoring 17 goals in his debut campaign while going on to win the FA Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup.

With so many other great names around such as Peter Osgood, Charlie Cooke and Bobby Tambling, Baldwin flourished and became a legend in west London.

He had shown plenty of promise at Highbury, but Arsenal's loss was certainly Chelsea's gain.

4. Nicolas Anelka

ADRIAN DENNIS/Associated Press

Unlike Tommy Baldwin before him, it was as an Arsenal player when we saw Nicolas Anelka at his most devastating.

Taken under Arsene Wenger's wing, the Frenchman rose to prominence at Highbury while still in his teens.

Such was his form and talent, Anelka dislodged Ian Wright as the first-choice striker for Wenger, winning a Premier League and FA Cup double in 1998.

He remained in north London for just two seasons, though, soon moving to Real Madrid and a host of other clubs on the continent.

When he eventually arrived at Chelsea 10 years later in January 2008, he wasn't the same player we had known, but that didn't mean Chelsea fans missed out on some of Anelka's talent.

After taking a while to settle, Anelka became an essential part of the Chelsea side that went on to win the Premier League in 2010, the last time Chelsea were champions.

3. William Gallas

Ben Radford/Getty Images

Known as much for his tantrums and flamboyance as he was his ability on the pitch, William Gallas is that rare breed of player who enjoyed success as both a Chelsea and Arsenal player.

The Frenchman was an outstanding defender, forming a good partnership with John Terry until Jose Mourinho's arrival in 2004 saw him rotated across the backline.

His success at Stamford Bridge came in the form of trophies, winning the Premier League twice in 2005 and 2006, along with the League Cup.

He moved to Arsenal soon after lifting the league for a second time with Chelsea, used as a make-weight in the deal that saw Ashley Cole go the other way.

Gallas didn't win any silverware during his four years in north London, but he was still a vital part of Arsene Wenger's defence, going on to captain the club.

2. John Hollins

John Hollins was an exceptional midfielder—one of the finest players Chelsea have produced from their youth system.

He was part of the Docherty's Diamonds team in the 1960s and went on to make 592 appearances, scoring 64 goals.

The video clip above—conveniently against Arsenal—shows what Hollins was all about. His powerful running from midfield was a major asset and was one Chelsea exploited during his time at the club, with Hollins working tirelessly in the engine room.

Hollins was 33 when he signed for Arsenal in 1979, but that didn't stop him from going on to make over 120 league appearances for the club.

When he eventually departed Highbury in 1983, he re-signed for Chelsea, making his second debut for the Blues some 20 years after his first.

That Hollins continued playing well into his late 30s outlines what a talent he was.

1. Ashley Cole

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Has there been a better left-back in the history of English football, let alone that of Chelsea and Arsenal?

Ashley Cole often comes out top in many lists he is mentioned in, and it's not difficult to see why.

Currently plying his trade for Serie A outfit Roma, Cole was a fine servant for the Blues and the Gunners.

Rarely mastered by an opponent, he was effective defensively and also on the attack, bringing so much more to his position.

Indeed, his style and approach has been significant in changing the perception of defenders on the flanks in the modern era, ushering in a new breed of player.

The circumstances in which he left Arsenal will also be a sore point for Gunners fans, but nobody can fault what he gave the club during his six years as a first-team player.

He was part of Arsenal's Invincibles in 2003/04, but when joining Chelsea he enjoyed success even he couldn't have imagined.

Between 2006 and 2014, Cole won the Premier League, the FA Cup four times and the Europa League. Above all else, he lifted the Champions League trophy in 2012.

"Now, no-one can say nothing," he said in his famous post-Champions League final interview on Sky Sports.

"[Winning the Champions League] is the reason I came here."

Indeed.

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Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes