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'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 MANCHESTER CITY
Wednesday, 21:45


I have opted for this fixture next Wednesday as jewel in the crown because few in the Saturday and Sunday schedule preceding it genuinely tickled my fancy. I am slightly tipping hosts the Gunners for this clash of third- versus second-placed clubs (as things stand), despite City having had the marginally better Christmas run of the two – they beat Newcastle 3-1 away and then trounced Aston Villa 4-0 at Eastlands. Arsenal will be kicking themselves after squandering a hard-earned 2-1 lead at Wigan to be restricted to a point; this could be the backlash at their beloved Emirates Stadium. Last season’s corresponding encounter was a slightly unlikely 0-0 result, for such attack-minded teams, though the Blues grabbed the home tie 4-2.

Rob: Arsenal 2 Manchester City 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond:
David: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: 0-0

THE GRUDGE MATCH

CHELSEA v ASTON VILLA
Sunday, 15:30


With Villa tottering on the table in unimpressive 15th – which slightly puts Chelsea’s dodgy recent form into perspective – why does this qualify as a grudge affair? Here’s exactly why: last season’s amazing Chelsea 7 Aston Villa 1 scoreline. You would think it might just light the visitors’ fuse for an infinitely more fighting display this time around, after four-goal Frank Lampard had a field day on that occasion. That said, Villa aren’t exactly flourishing under Gerard Houllier ... so this is also a meeting of under-pressure bosses, isn’t it? The Blues remained largely sterile and unconvincing in pipping Bolton in midweek, but comebacks sometimes have humble starts. I see the champions grinding out a second consecutive 1-0 result at the “Bridge”, but not without stiffer resistance from Villa this time.

Rob: Chelsea 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond:
David: 3-0
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 7-1

THE DESPERATE DUEL

WEST HAM v WOLVES
Saturday, 17:00


Little explanation needed for this game getting the laughing-stock spot: it really will be desperate stuff as rock-bottom Hammers square up to second-bottom Wolves! Funnily enough, it hasn’t been the worst Christmas for either battling outfit, though. West Ham upset Fulham away and then picked up a home point against Everton, while Wolves bounced back from a home reverse to Wigan – not good for them at all – to beat Liverpool before a disgruntled Kop. So I’m taking a conservative route: a dour, high-stakes share of the spoils, despite the visitors taking great heart from last year’s result ...

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

THE OTHERS

WEST BROM v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday, 14:45


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

LIVERPOOL v BOLTON
Saturday, 17:00


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

MANCHESTER CITY v BLACKPOOL
Saturday, 17:00


Rob: Manchester City 2 Blackpool 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond:
David: 4-2
Dominic: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable

STOKE v EVERTON
Saturday, 17:00


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

SUNDERLAND v BLACKBURN
Saturday, 17:00


Rob: Sunderland 1 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond:
David: 3-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 2-1

TOTTENHAM v FULHAM
Saturday, 17:00


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

BIRMINGHAM v ARSENAL
Saturday, 19:30


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

WIGAN v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 18:00


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

BLACKPOOL v BIRMINGHAM
Tuesday, 22:00


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

FULHAM v WEST BROM
Tuesday, 22:00


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

MANCHESTER UNITED v STOKE
Tuesday, 22:00


Rob: Manchester United 3 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond:
David: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 4-0

ASTON VILLA v SUNDERLAND
Wednesday, 21:45


Rob: Aston Villa 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond:
David: 3-1
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-1

NEWCASTLE v WEST HAM
Wednesday, 21:45


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

WOLVES v CHELSEA
Wednesday, 21:45


Rob: Wolves 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 0-1
Raymond:
David: 1-4
Dominic: 0-1
Last season: 0-2

BLACKBURN v LIVERPOOL
Wednesday, 22:00


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

BOLTON v WIGAN
Wednesday, 22:00


Rob: Bolton 1 Wigan 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond:
David: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 4-0

EVERTON v TOTTENHAM
Wednesday, 22:00


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

LEADERBOARD


With copyright apologies to Mark Boucher, perhaps, “Ooh, I like it, Robbo!”. I have made up five points on leader Dom over the productive Christmas period and believe (of course) I am perfectly placed for a big 2011 assault on title retention. Can the young man at the top hold his nerve against the old fox? Mind you, Ray remains very much in the running after nearly matching my 15-point Festive bundle. Garrin and Dave? I presume they can’t wait for Auld Lang Syne: new chapters, wiping the slate clean and all that stuff ...

135 Dominic (10 points from last round)
131 Rob (15)
128 Raymond (14)
116 Garrin (5)
107 David (7)
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