Before Newcastle United and Liverpool meet again to open a new Premier League season at St James' Park, both clubs are set to pause and honour the memory of Kevin Keegan, whose Newcastle side once produced one of the most thrilling matches in the competition's history against the Reds.
The fixture in question has long been regarded as a benchmark for attacking, end-to-end football, a game that came to symbolise the swashbuckling style Keegan instilled at St James' Park during his time in charge. His Newcastle team were renowned for prioritising entertainment and attacking football over caution, often to their own detriment in the title race, but the approach produced unforgettable nights for supporters and neutral observers alike.
That particular meeting with Liverpool encapsulated everything Keegan's Newcastle stood for. Despite throwing everything forward and creating a spectacle that is still replayed and discussed decades later, Newcastle ultimately came out on the losing side, with Liverpool prevailing in a match remembered as much for its drama as for its final result.
The upcoming reunion between the two clubs at the start of the new campaign has provided the perfect occasion to reflect on that era and pay respect to Keegan's legacy. Both Newcastle and Liverpool have confirmed plans to jointly commemorate the former Newcastle manager and England international before kick-off at St James' Park, recognising the impact he had not just on his own club, but on the wider narrative of Premier League football during the 1990s.
Keegan's second spell as Newcastle manager, which included the famous clash with Liverpool, is often cited as one of the most romantic chapters in the Premier League's early years. His Newcastle side built a reputation for fearless, attacking football, filled with attacking talent and a willingness to trade blows with any opponent rather than sit back and defend leads. That mentality made for compelling viewing, even when it occasionally cost them points and, in the case of that memorable meeting with Liverpool, the win itself.
The fixture has since become a reference point whenever discussions turn to the greatest Premier League matches ever played, with pundits and fans continuing to revisit the encounter as an example of the drama the competition can produce when two attack-minded teams go toe to toe.
As Newcastle and Liverpool prepare to renew their rivalry to open the new season, the pre-match tribute to Keegan is expected to serve as a poignant reminder of that golden period, and of the manager whose approach to the game left such a lasting impression on both clubs and their supporters.
Further details on the exact nature of the planned tribute have not yet been fully confirmed, but the gesture underlines the esteem in which Keegan continues to be held within English football, more than two decades after his memorable stint in charge at St James' Park.
Fans attending the season opener, as well as those watching from home, will have the chance to reflect once again on a fixture that, for many, remains the gold standard of Premier League drama, before attention turns to the action on the pitch as Newcastle and Liverpool kick off a new campaign against the backdrop of that shared history.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.