5 Premier League clubs who could've used Lionel Messi during a title push over the years

#2 Newcastle United, 1995/96

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - AUGUST 11: Manchester United player Eric Cantona (c) beats Steve Watson and David Batty (r) during the FA Charity Shield match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on August 11, 1996 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) — *Eric Cantona’s string of winning goals stopped Newcastle from winning the league in 1996 – with a Messi at Newcastle it could’ve been different*

The season prior had seen Manchester United fail to chase down eventual league winners Blackburn Rovers, but 1995/96 was a different story. Despite Newcastle United leading by a monstrous 12 points in January, the Red Devils were able to overhaul the deficit to win the league, mainly due to the individual genius of Eric Cantona, who scored goal after goal in 1-0 wins for United.

While Newcastle had some tremendous talent in their squad – Les Ferdinand, David Ginola, Peter Beardsley, Phillipe Albert – they just didn’t have an individual as good as Cantona. When manager Kevin Keegan did attempt to buy one, in the form of mercurial Colombian striker Faustino Asprilla, it didn’t really work out as he disrupted the balance of the squad and only contributed three goals.

Going into the last day of the season, Newcastle trailed United and needed to beat Tottenham – and hope that Middlesborough could defeat United – to win the title. It was always unlikely and of course United won out in the end.

But with Messi on board – an individual as important as Cantona was for United – could things have been different? We certainly think so. A Messi-inspired Newcastle would never have let that lead slip, even with Kevin Keegan’s gung-ho tactics on hand, and the Premier League title could’ve gone to Tyneside for the first time.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Staff Editor