Arguably the greatest win in the Magpies’ modern era, a pivotal point in a battle against relegation and ANOTHER red card for an opponent who St James’ Park loved to hate . . . meetings between Newcastle United and Manchester United – other than at Wembley - always provide a spectacle.
The two clubs face up again on Sunday, with Eddie Howe’s black and white army back to winning ways after defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest, but up against a Red Devils team just ahead of them in the race for a Champions League place.
As Howe plots revenge on Erik ten Hag for Newcastle’s recent Carabao Cup final defeat, we look back at five of the most memorable matches between these historic sides in the modern era.
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Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester United - January 12, 2016 – Premier League
An unlikely point-saver emerged at a packed-out St James Park as Newcastle edged a little closer to Premier League safety.
A harsh handball decision against Chancel Mbemba gave Wayne Rooney the chance to give the visitors an early lead from the penalty spot, before the England striker brilliantly teed up Jesse Lingard to double the lead.
But Georginio Wijnaldum pounced on Aleksander Mitrovic’s nod-down to make it 2-1 late in the first half, before Mitrovic almost blew the roof off the stadium by winning and converting a 67th-minute penalty to equalise.
Even then, Rooney looked to have won the game with a sweet 79th-minute strike. But up popped left-back Paul Dummett to fire home a dramatic deflected leveller in the 90th minute, and take Newcastle three points clear of local rivals Sunderland in the Premier League bottom three, just a point from safety.
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Newcastle United 4-3 Manchester United - September 15, 2001 – Premier League
A see-saw game ended with Roy Keane seeing red for a second time at St James’ Park, and a Newcastle victory on Sir Bobby Robson’s 100th game in charge of his boyhood club.
A delightful free kick from dead ball expert Laurent Robert gave the Magpies an early lead, only for Newcastle old boy Andy Cole to set up Ruud van Nistelrooy for an equaliser just before the half-hour mark.
But Fabien Barthez fumbled Rob Lee’s long-range shot to send the Magpies into half-time ahead, and Nikos Dabizas lashed into a 3-1 lead early in the second half.
Back roared the Red Devils with two goals in as many minutes just after the hour, with first Ryan Giggs capping a flowing move with a cool finish before Juan Sebastian Veron volleyed home a brilliant equaliser.
But who else than Alan Shearer had the final say – first when his deflected shot put Newcastle back in front in the 82nd minute, then when he clashed with Keane on the touchline and goaded the visiting captain into throwing the ball at him and seeing red.
Newcastle United 5-0 Manchester United – October 20,1996 - Premier League
A game embedded in Geordie legend saw Newcastle humiliate the team who had pipped them to the Premier League title five months earlier.
The majority of just short of 37,000 fans were singing in the rain right from the moment when the match officials enraged visiting manager Alex Ferguson by ruling that Darren Peacock’s 12th-minute header had crossed the goal line.
David Ginola adding a spectacular second goal before half-time, ahead of an even better second half which saw Alan Shearer set up strike partner Les Ferdinand for Newcastle’s third, before Shearer made it 4-0 by pouncing on the rebound after Peter Schmeichel had parried a Ferdinand shot.
Then came the icing on the cake, as centre-back Philippe Albert strolled out of midfield and planted an unforgettable chip over Schmeichel to cap an unforgettable afternoon which saw Newcastle go back above their opponents at the top of the Premier League table.
Newcastle United 3-0 Manchester United - January 4, 2012 - Premier League
A win that dented the visitors’ title hopes made Newcastle’s ambitious hunt for European football more than realistic.
Demba Ba’s impressive scoring season continued when he netted his 15th goal of the campaign to make it 1-0 after 33 minutes, before a moment of individual brilliance early in the second half saw Newcastle double their lead as Yohan Cabaye curled home a 30-yard free kick.
With Cabaye and the late Cheick Tiote dominating in midfield, the Red Devils’ only significant contribution to the game came late on, when a comical own goal from Phil Jones rounded off an impressive day for Alan Pardew’s men, who rose to seventh in the Premier League table, just four points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Manchester United 0-1 Newcastle United - December 7, 2013 - Premier League
Yohan Cabaye once again proved to be a thorn in Manchester United’s side as he secured Newcastle’s first win against the Red Devils at Old Trafford for almost 42 years.
The Frenchman met an impressive Moussa Sissoko cross at the end of a well-worked 61st-minute counter-attack with a scrappy finish which proved decisive, as Robin Van Persie had a headed equaliser disallowed for offside.
Their first win against the Red Devils in their own backyard since February 1972 lifted Newcastle to seventh in the Premier League, and four points above their opponents.
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