Friday, September 13, 2019


Premier League action returns this weekend with Liverpool hosting Newcastle United in Saturday lunch time's kick-off fully expecting to keep up their 100 per cent record at the start of the season.



The Toon's record on the red side of Stanley Park is atrocious - having not won there in the top flight for 25 years.

Premier League football was a very different place then, to the point that Newcastle's 2-0 win at Roy Evans' struggling side was anything but a shock.

Kevin Keegan's team were enjoying their first season back in the top flight and supporters were lapping up the early days of 'The Entertainers' - arguably one of the greatest sides in English football to never lift a major trophy.



Cole was outstanding but it was only typical of the season he was having. Shortly before the hour marked he doubled the lead  with a goal that summed up the swashbuckling Toon attack of the era.

Pavel Srnicek started a counter attack following a corner that quickly made its way to Ruel Fox on the right.

His through ball found Cole who rifled home across goal into the bottom corner for his 39th strike of the season - equalling a club record set by Hughie Gallacher in 1927, and shared by George Robledo in 1951.

Liverpool hardly tested Newcastle outside of a Steve McManaman shot well saved by Srnicek, with Newcastle going on to secure a comfortable 2-0 win.



Following three winless games Newcastle's victory set them up to claim nine further points over the last four matches and secure a UEFA Cup spot.

Cole's goals continued to flow but we will never know if he would have steered Newcastle to trophy success.

A few months after he was named as the season's Young Player of the Year - having struck 41 goals in all competitions - he was sold for a British transfer record, with £7million plus Keith Gillespie coming from Manchester United.

Liverpool recorded their worst Premier League finish of eighth but with young stars like Robbie Fowler, Jamie Redknapp, James and McManaman in their ranks would help start a rebuild at Anfield.

Even Barnes found an Indian Summer in his form and three years later they all combined to start in the dramatic 4-3 win over Newcastle in one of the most memorable games in Premier League history.


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