'Expert' UK footy tips

Cape Town - Each round of the 2010/11 English Premiership season, a panel of Sport24 tipsters have a crack at predicting the results – do it yourself, if you like, and see how your scoreboard compares with ours in the report-back a week later.

Three precious points are given for an entirely correct score-line, and one for right result.

Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion last season but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are colleagues Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), David Brooke (Manchester United), Raymond Kilfoil (Tottenham) and Dominic Valentine (Liverpool).

We occasionally invite guest tipsters; watch this space.

THE PRIME ATTRACTION

ARSENAL v CHELSEA
Monday, 22:00

Despite Chelsea’s innocuous form in recent weeks, I suppose I have taken a bit of a chance in suggesting that the Gunners will topple them at the Emirates (though Dave shares my sentiment). The others go mostly for the safer draw option, and Ray even tips the away win. But I have this sneaky feeling that Arse will be particularly amped for revenge because of recent results between the fierce London foes – the Blues have already claimed a 2-0 win in this season’s meeting at Stamford Bridge, while last season’s Arsenal home meeting was a near-disaster for them: Chelsea won 3-0 with Didier Drogba on the scoresheet twice. He has a good record against these foes. So have I been stupid here? Well, let’s see ...

Rob: Arsenal 2 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 2-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 0-3

THE GRUDGE MATCH

NEWCASTLE v MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 17:00

OK, I admit to a bit of my known Toon partiality being at least a little responsible for placing this game in the “grudge” slot. But I reckon it justifies the tag anyway, when you consider how spicy the Eastlands meeting was earlier in the season. Then, City edged a fiery, ding-dong affair 2-1 (supersub Adam Johnson netted a beautiful winner) although some neutrals felt Newcastle could just as easily have stolen it. There were plenty of flashpoints, including a “committed” Nigel de Jong tackle causing a double leg fracture to the visitors’ promising Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa, and Fabricio Coloccini’s sending-off for the losers. All results are considered possible here for the rematch and I’m letting festive-season heart possibly overrule head!

Rob: Newcastle 1 Manchester City 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 0-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable

THE DESPERATE DUEL

WOLVES v WIGAN
Sunday, 17:00

You will all be aware of that theory doing the rounds in England that “three Ws” might well be relegated! Well, as things stand the bottom three, from basement up, are indeed West Ham, Wolves and Wigan. (People were initially suggesting West Brom as candidates too, although the Baggies currently command loftier real estate.) And this grim tussle features Wolves trying to leapfrog Wigan at Molineux and pull themselves a bit closer to safety. It’s a tough game to call, and I’ve taken home advantage as the cue for a narrow Wolves victory. That is the majority choice, too, although last season’s corresponding outcome heartens Wigan!

Rob: Wolves 2 Wigan 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 0-2

THE OTHERS

FULHAM v WEST HAM
Sunday, 14:00

Rob: Fulham 1 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 2-2
David: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 3-2

BLACKBURN v STOKE
Sunday, 17:00

Rob: Blackburn 1 Stoke 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 0-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 0-0

BLACKPOOL v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 17:00

Rob: Blackpool 0 Liverpool 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 1-3
David: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: Not applicable

BOLTON v WEST BROM
Sunday, 17:00

Rob: Bolton 2 West Brom 0
Garrin: 1-0
Raymond: 2-0
David: 3-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable

EVERTON v BIRMINGHAM
Sunday, 17:00

Rob: Everton 2 Birmingham 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 1-0
David: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 1-1

MANCHESTER UNITED v SUNDERLAND
Sunday, 17:00

Rob: Manchester United 2 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 1-0
Raymond: 2-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 2-2

ASTON VILLA v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 19:30

Rob: Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-2
David: 1-0
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-1

MANCHESTER CITY v ASTON VILLA
Tuesday, 17:00

Rob: Manchester City 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 2-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 3-1

STOKE v FULHAM
Tuesday, 17:00

Rob: Stoke 0 Fulham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 3-2

SUNDERLAND v BLACKPOOL
Tuesday, 17:00

Rob: Sunderland 1 Blackpool 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 1-1
David: 1-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable

TOTTENHAM v NEWCASTLE
Tuesday, 17:00

Rob: Tottenham 1 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 2-0
David: 1-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable

WEST BROM v BLACKBURN
Tuesday, 17:00

Rob: West Brom 2 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 0-1
David: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable

WEST HAM v EVERTON
Tuesday, 19:30

Rob: West Ham 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 0-1
David: 0-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-2

BIRMINGHAM v MANCHESTER UNITED
Tuesday, 22:00

Rob: Birmingham 1 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 0-2
Raymond: 1-2
David: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: 1-1

CHELSEA v BOLTON:
Wednesday, 21:45

Rob: Chelsea 3 Bolton 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 2-0
David: 3-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 1-0

WIGAN v ARSENAL
Wednesday, 21:45

Rob: Wigan 0 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 0-2
Raymond: 1-3
David: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: 3-2

LIVERPOOL v WOLVES
Wednesday, 22:00

Rob: Liverpool 1 Wolves 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 2-0
David: 2-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 2-0

LEADERBOARD

With the weather having played havoc with last week’s programme, we will adjust the leaderboard only after all the postponed matches have been completed. (Still, Dominic and I are secretly chuffed about Sunderland 1 Bolton 0 from one of desperately few games played – the proverbial good start for us!) This was the state of affairs ahead of last weekend ...

125 Dominic
116 Rob
114 Raymond
111 Garrin
107 David