On 3 April 1996, Liverpool faced Newcastle United in a Premier League fixture at Anfield, during the 1995–96 season. Liverpool won the match, scoring four goals to Newcastle's three. The winning goal was scored by striker Stan Collymore in the second minute of stoppage time. Before the match, both clubs had lost their previous fixtures but still had a chance of winning the league and wanted to close the gap between themselves and leaders Manchester United. Newcastle United, who had been 10 points ahead at Christmas, had suffered a decline during the previous two months, winning one match out of four in March 1996, and surrendering their lead of the league to Manchester United after spending virtually all of the season top of the table. Liverpool had won six of their last nine league games during February and March, scored the most goals and
conceded the fewest until this match.
Liverpool started the match as the more promising team and striker Robbie Fowler scored the first goal. Newcastle striker Les Ferdinand scored the equaliser in the tenth minute and winger David Ginola added a second for Newcastle four minutes later. Fowler scored early in the second half to equalise but Faustino Asprilla restored their goal advantage in the 57th minute. Stan Collymore, who set up the opening goal for Liverpool, equalised for Liverpool in the 68th minute. In stoppage time, Collymore scored his second goal of the match involving a one-two with Ian Rush and John Barnes in the buildup. The winner sparked jubilant scenes for Liverpool supporters at Anfield and consigned Newcastle to their second consecutive defeat in the league, reducing their chances of winning the league, although ultimately Manchester United were not confirmed as champions until the final game of the season.
The match is considered to be among the best Premier League games in the history of the competition. Newcastle's manager Kevin Keegan described it as a "classic", while Liverpool manager Roy Evans said "the entertainment value was up there with the best". In 2003, the game was awarded the Match of the Decade award on behalf of the Premier League, which was celebrating its tenth anniversary. The result played a major factor in the outcome the league title race, as Manchester United lost only one more match that season and regained the title from Blackburn Rovers.
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