Cantona’s 1996 winner at Newcastle sealed Man Utd’s Premier League fate
A pivotal 1-0 victory over Newcastle in 1996 helped Manchester United secure the Premier League title that season. The match at St James’ Park saw Eric Cantona score the only goal, while goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel earned high praise for his performance. Former striker Andrew Cole later called the game a defining moment in their Premier League title-winning campaign.
Newcastle had led the Premier League earlier in the 1995–96 season before Manchester United overtook them. The Red Devils’ narrow win in March 1996 put them ahead in the Premier League title race—a position they held until the end of the campaign.
Andrew Cole, who played for both clubs, recalled the fierce rivalry and Newcastle’s attacking style making the fixture particularly exciting. He scored in both his Premier League appearances for Newcastle against Manchester United before joining the Red Devils. After switching sides, he went on to net nine times against his former club—more than against any other opponent.
The Premier League title was sealed in April 1996 with a 3-0 win over Middlesbrough, where Cole himself found the net. Reflecting on the season, he credited Schmeichel’s heroics in the Newcastle match, suggesting the scoreline could have been far worse without the Danish keeper.
Manchester United’s victory at St James’ Park marked a turning point in their 1995–96 Premier League campaign. The team never surrendered top spot after that game, eventually lifting the Premier League trophy. Cole’s contributions, both in attack and in acknowledging Schmeichel’s role, remain a key part of the club’s success that year.
