Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterNewcastle United vs Manchester United was the fixture in England football in 1996.The two sides engaged in a title fight throughout the 1995/96 season, with Manchester United's ultimate elation in triumph only matched by the despair Newcastle United felt at letting the trophy slip from their grasp.But when it comes to the actual meetings between the two sides around that period, there is one game that stands out in the memory above all others."If you beat Man United then its great, if you beat them 5-0 its absolutely fantastic"Ten games in to the 1996/97 season, in October 1996, not-yet-Sir Alex Ferguson brought his side to St James' Park with the two teams again expected to fight for the Premier League title.Newcastle were top, but the Red Devils had gone undefeated thus far and were still high on having beaten Liverpool at Old Trafford in the previous league game You may like "Sir Alex Ferguson crossed a line, and therein lies the difference between me and him, thats how he won 13 league titles and I won none" Kevin Keegan on Newcastle United's 1995/96 Premier League challenge 30 years on from the 'Love it' rant Why did Kevin Keegan scrap the Newcastle United reserve team in the mid 90s? One of the great man's most controversial moments revisited Kevin Keegan: how Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton and Newcastle fell Head Over Heels In Love with King Kev What followed was an absolute shellacking. Darren Peacock and David Ginola had Newcastle 2-0 up inside half an hour; by the 75th minute, Les Ferdinand and Alan Shearer had got in on the act to make it 4-0.But it was the sumptuous final goal that meant that when speaking to FourFourTwo in 2007, manager Kevin Keegan had a simple answer to his favourite moment as Newcastle boss.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over."Philippe Albert beating Peter Schmeichel to seal that 5-0 win over Manchester United," he said"If you beat Man United then its great, if you beat them 5-0 its absolutely fantastic, and if youve just lost a league to them the season before, its even better."I shook Alex Fergusons hand afterwards, but [Eric] Cantona was the only one that spoke to me. He shook my hand and said: 'F**king great team'. What to read next As soon as he hit it you think, That's going to be close When it went in, I was kind of hanging onto the net, looking up and all the Manchester United fans were behind the goal. I was getting pelters Neil Sullivan on THAT David Beckham lob 30 years on Exclusive: Diego Forlan discusses the role Sir Alex Ferguson's brother played in his Manchester United transfer The further you get from Arsenals title win at Anfield, the more special it becomes, as its a game that will never be repeated, a special, special night Alan Smith on Arsenals legendary 1989 title decider Philippe Albert chips Peter Schmeichel - YouTubeWatch On "The crowd were really proud of those players."We had a side full of players who still had something to prove, the John Beresfords and Rob Lees."Fortunately for me, and for Newcastle, they all still wanted to achieve things."This interview first appeared in the April 2007 edition of FourFourTwo magazineTOPICSNewcastle UnitedSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromNick Moore
