5. Les Ferdinand (0-1 vs Manchester United) - Premier League 1996
What better place to start this little jaunt than Newcastle's most famous fruitless flirtation with glory: The 1995/1996 season. Having previously held a now historic 12 point lead over their rivals at the top of the table, Newcastle went into this game with their lead down to just 4 and Keegan's "Love it" rant still ringing in their ears. David Batty and Faustino Asprilla were both making their full debuts for the club, Andy Cole made his first return, and despite it only being March there was a genuine feeling amongst the fans that this was it. Win this and it's ours. What followed was probably one of the finest performances under Keegan, as Newcastle showed their claws and tore wildly at the throat of Manchester United from the very first whistle. Philippe Albert rattling the frame of the goal with a free-kick and Peter Beardsley finding Schmeichel at full stretch with a 20 yard drive. But the one genuine opening for Newcastle came within the opening five minutes, when Les Ferdinand raced into the box and squeezed himself a vital few yards from a panting Steve Bruce. Again Schmeichel rushed out to block the shot and, more in hope than expectation, made his frame as awkward as possible to hit a ball past. Ferdinand's shot clipped the top of his upper arm, and when the goalkeeper regained control of his limbs a moment later he found the ball dropping harmlessly into his grasp. The game was won by Eric Cantona, who showed the sort of clinicity required to win both these contests and the Premier League. Had Ferdinand have been the difference instead, Newcastle would have pulled 7 points away and likely gone on to win their first league title since 1927. Who knows, the higher pedigree across Europe which that honour would have brought might have seen a more suitable manager replace Keegan, and the club not endure the slump that it never fully recovered from in the late 90s. Or it might merely have won the league, which would have been nice too.