5 clubs who choked in the Premier League title race

#3 Newcastle United 1995/1996

While newer fans of the game might be more accustomed to seeing Newcastle in a relegation scrapfight and discontent between fans and owner, it has not always been so, as the Geordies were once among the bonafide heavyweights of English football.

Under the presidency of millionaire John Hall, the club embarked on a massive spending spree, getting in players from across the globe with the aim of breaking United's dominance in the early years of the Premier League.

Newcastle sent their statement of intent from the first day of the season, recording a 3-0 victory over Coventry City to move top of the table, which is a position they maintained until the 23rd of March.

Led by the in-form Les Ferdinand and supported by Peter Beardsley, David Ginola amongst others, Newcastle decimated all in their presence, effectively turning the league into a one-horse race, which saw them establish a 12-point lead ahead of the rest of the table by January 20 1996 with just 15 matches remaining.

The return of Eric Cantona from his long suspension however brought about a surge in form for Manchester United, which coincided with a downturn in fortune for Newcastle.

Surprisingly, dropped points by the Toons saw United gain further ground on them, while a 1-0 victory at St James' Park on March 4 saw the lead reduced to just one point.

Prior to the clash against United, then Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan delved into the now infamous 'I would love it rant' on Skysports, which was evidence of his inner nervous meltdown and the synopsis of Ferguson's legendary mindgames.

Manchester United showed imperious form - winning 13 of their final 15 matches to claim league glory, while Newcastle stuttered, winning just seven in the same timeframe, with Les Ferdinand being the epitome of their struggles, as the striker scored just four goals in his final 13 matches, having scored 21 in the previous 24.