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Cape Town – Each round of the 2011/12 English Premiership season, a panel of Sport24 staff or guest tipsters have a crack at predicting the results – do it yourself, if you like, and see how you compare afterwards.
Our forecasts also offer assistance (if that is the right word!) to those who take part in the SuperBru megapool (Pool code: cropriot) created by Sport24.
Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion for the last two seasons but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), and David Brooke (Manchester United).
Here’s the New Year fare ...
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
MANCHESTER CITY v LIVERPOOL
Tuesday, 22:00
Early last season, in the equivalent fixture at Eastlands, City gave glimpses of the much more pronounced renaissance they are showing in this campaign, dismantling the Reds by a surprisingly comfortable margin of 3-0 (Tevez 2, Barry) and by all accounts deserving that supremacy. Mind you, the reverse fixture much nearer the end of the season went Liverpool’s way by the same scoreline! This was written before the benefit of knowing how City had fared at Sunderland or ‘Pool at home to Newcastle, but I still fancy Roberto Mancini to be the smiling one and Kenny Dalglish to remain his customary poker-faced after the latest skirmish. So does Dave, although Garrin sticks unfailingly to his years-long “1-1 for all big clashes” formula ...
Rob: Manchester City 2 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 3-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
NEWCASTLE v MANCHESTER UNITED
Wednesday, 22:00
It’s not that long ago (late November) that these staunch rivals of the mid-1990s met at Old Trafford, and even as an unashamed Toon devotee, I have to admit that I still scratch my head over how the black-and-whites managed to burgle a point! At least they were refreshingly resilient, somehow hanging on by a thread in the last few minutes when the Red Devils absolutely besieged Tim Krul’s goal. But that old fox Fergie is not averse to bearing a wee grudge, and will still be smarting over the dodgy penalty that got Toon their goal in the 1-1 outcome. There’s also still spice between these hugely-supported sides after their epic clashes in the era when Kevin Keegan’s “entertainers” flourished ... but could never quite do enough to pip Man Utd to the title as they lost their bottle in the run-in periods. I’m defiantly tipping the Magpies to grab another draw, although Garrin and Dave refuse to hand out any New Year bonhomie in the north-east. Fools, I say ...
Rob: Newcastle 1 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 1-2
David: 0-1
Last season: 0-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
WOLVES v CHELSEA
Monday, 17:00
I see that Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has “conceded” that his charges are effectively out of the title chase as we hit the midway mark – after all, they are now 11 points adrift of current leaders Man City. But that can often be a crafty way by gaffers of trying to take pressure off their sides with the intention of freeing them up to play more relaxed football, if you like. I’m sure a title fire still burns quietly inside him, and Chelsea will certainly target three points at Molineux. Of course the “desperate” factor will be more prevalent for Wolves, still very much in the relegation scrap (17th as this was written) after having been in the bowels for some time. They will take heart from last season’s shock 1-0 outcome in their favour, but all three tipsters don’t see lightning striking again.
Rob: Wolves 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-3
Last season: 1-0
THE OTHERS
ASTON VILLA v SWANSEA
Monday, 17:00
Rob: Aston Villa 2 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
BLACKBURN v STOKE
Monday, 17:00
Rob: Blackburn 1 Stoke 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-0
Last season: 0-2
QPR v NORWICH
Monday, 17:00
Rob: QPR 2 Norwich 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
FULHAM v ARSENAL
Monday, 19:30
Rob: Fulham 0 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 1-2
David: 1-3
Last season: 2-2
TOTTENHAM v WEST BROM
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Tottenham 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 2-2
WIGAN v SUNDERLAND
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Wigan 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 0-1
Last season: 1-1
EVERTON v BOLTON
Wednesday, 22:00
Rob: Everton 1 Bolton 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 1-1
*The leaderboards (both Sport24 punters and our SuperBru pool) will be updated after this final batch of Festive Season matches.
Our forecasts also offer assistance (if that is the right word!) to those who take part in the SuperBru megapool (Pool code: cropriot) created by Sport24.
Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion for the last two seasons but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), and David Brooke (Manchester United).
Here’s the New Year fare ...
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
MANCHESTER CITY v LIVERPOOL
Tuesday, 22:00
Early last season, in the equivalent fixture at Eastlands, City gave glimpses of the much more pronounced renaissance they are showing in this campaign, dismantling the Reds by a surprisingly comfortable margin of 3-0 (Tevez 2, Barry) and by all accounts deserving that supremacy. Mind you, the reverse fixture much nearer the end of the season went Liverpool’s way by the same scoreline! This was written before the benefit of knowing how City had fared at Sunderland or ‘Pool at home to Newcastle, but I still fancy Roberto Mancini to be the smiling one and Kenny Dalglish to remain his customary poker-faced after the latest skirmish. So does Dave, although Garrin sticks unfailingly to his years-long “1-1 for all big clashes” formula ...
Rob: Manchester City 2 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 3-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
NEWCASTLE v MANCHESTER UNITED
Wednesday, 22:00
It’s not that long ago (late November) that these staunch rivals of the mid-1990s met at Old Trafford, and even as an unashamed Toon devotee, I have to admit that I still scratch my head over how the black-and-whites managed to burgle a point! At least they were refreshingly resilient, somehow hanging on by a thread in the last few minutes when the Red Devils absolutely besieged Tim Krul’s goal. But that old fox Fergie is not averse to bearing a wee grudge, and will still be smarting over the dodgy penalty that got Toon their goal in the 1-1 outcome. There’s also still spice between these hugely-supported sides after their epic clashes in the era when Kevin Keegan’s “entertainers” flourished ... but could never quite do enough to pip Man Utd to the title as they lost their bottle in the run-in periods. I’m defiantly tipping the Magpies to grab another draw, although Garrin and Dave refuse to hand out any New Year bonhomie in the north-east. Fools, I say ...
Rob: Newcastle 1 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 1-2
David: 0-1
Last season: 0-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
WOLVES v CHELSEA
Monday, 17:00
I see that Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has “conceded” that his charges are effectively out of the title chase as we hit the midway mark – after all, they are now 11 points adrift of current leaders Man City. But that can often be a crafty way by gaffers of trying to take pressure off their sides with the intention of freeing them up to play more relaxed football, if you like. I’m sure a title fire still burns quietly inside him, and Chelsea will certainly target three points at Molineux. Of course the “desperate” factor will be more prevalent for Wolves, still very much in the relegation scrap (17th as this was written) after having been in the bowels for some time. They will take heart from last season’s shock 1-0 outcome in their favour, but all three tipsters don’t see lightning striking again.
Rob: Wolves 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-3
Last season: 1-0
THE OTHERS
ASTON VILLA v SWANSEA
Monday, 17:00
Rob: Aston Villa 2 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
BLACKBURN v STOKE
Monday, 17:00
Rob: Blackburn 1 Stoke 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-0
Last season: 0-2
QPR v NORWICH
Monday, 17:00
Rob: QPR 2 Norwich 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
FULHAM v ARSENAL
Monday, 19:30
Rob: Fulham 0 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 1-2
David: 1-3
Last season: 2-2
TOTTENHAM v WEST BROM
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Tottenham 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 2-2
WIGAN v SUNDERLAND
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Wigan 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 0-1
Last season: 1-1
EVERTON v BOLTON
Wednesday, 22:00
Rob: Everton 1 Bolton 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 1-1
*The leaderboards (both Sport24 punters and our SuperBru pool) will be updated after this final batch of Festive Season matches.
