How one argument helped Manchester United secure a transfer that shaped Premier League history

Sunday's Carabao Cup showpiece will be Newcastle United's first final appearance since 1999.

Last time out, the Magpies were beaten 2-0 in the FA Cup by a Manchester United outfit on their way to a famous treble. Three years prior, Kevin Keegan's side would blow their greatest chance at a Premier League title, forfeiting a 12-point lead to, you guessed it, United.

Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, United have never been too far away when it comes to Newcastle misery, and the transfer of Andy Cole in January 1995 is a prime example.

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Cole's goals the previous season had propelled the Magpies into a UEFA Cup place, his 34 strikes still standing as a Premier League record for the most goals in one season - although it came from 40 appearances at a time when the division consisted of 22 teams. It was only the striker's second year on Tyneside but he was quickly becoming a favourite among the St. James' Park faithful.

And while the latter months of 1994 were not as fruitful - he racked up nine goals for the Magpies - a strong start overall had Keegan's men top of the table right up until November. It was in the following weekend's trip to Wimbledon that a clash between player and manager set the wheels in motion for his exit.

"I know me and Kevin had a fallout, he cheesed me off with the way he treated Clarky [Lee Clark] one day," Cole told the UTD Podcast in 2020. "Then we lost a game [3-2 vs Wimbledon] and I was cheesed off because we lost, so when we came to the hotel Kevin told me to do one. And I said, 'Alright, no problem', I packed my bags and walked out. The relationship was never the same.

"I wasn’t looking to leave Newcastle, I was