When Newcastle United line up on Sunday afternoon to face Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United, they do so with the weight of history imbalanced firmly in the other direction, with last year's Premier League runners-up enjoying the best of the matches between the two for the majority of the Premier league era. In their latest meeting, at Old Trafford a few short weeks ago, Manchester United were once more victorious, snatching a 2-1 victory, despite a spirited Newcastle display to set up a League Cup fourth round match with Chelsea, but the Toon Army needn't be disheartened by the lessons of the past completely. Since the inception of the Premier League era, this has been one of the most entertaining, eye-catching of fixtures on the list, thanks to a huge number of goals and a healthy rivalry that stayed as the hangover of the Entertainers Era on Tyneside and that memorable season that Kevin Keegan almost won the league with his adventurous side. It has also thrown up a number of exceptional moments, for both Uniteds, and though Manchester United have walked away with the greater share of the spoils, St James Park has played its part as the fortress on certain memorable occasions. Ahead of the Super Sunday match at 4pm in front of Sky's cameras, we're looking at five of those memorable moments - those glimpses of quality that will help convince Newcastle fans that they can emerge victorious against the Reds...
5. Laurent Robert's Free-Kick
As if determined to mark Sir Bobby Robson's 100th game in charge at Newcastle in the best style possible, the Toon put on a fantastic show in front of the St James Park crowd in September 2001, scoring four goals against Sir Alex's men, and letting their opponents respond three times themselves in a game made famous by a volatile confrontation between two stars of the Premier League era (more of which later). In just the fourth minute of the game, French maverick Laurent Robert stepped up to take a free-kick on the edge of the box, and with his typical flair, he swerved a stunning left-footed effort into the top corner past stranded compatriot Fabien Barthez. It was one of the finest goals scored by Robert in a career at Newcastle that included numerous stunners, made all the more fine by the fact that it came against Man Utd and top international 'keeper Barthez. http://youtu.be/pYLT2Jy7-bU