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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; last week Durban-born former Liverpool and Stuttgart striker SEAN DUNDEE managed a modest five points.
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
MANCHESTER UNITED v BIRMINGHAM
Saturday, 17:00
It was a bit of a struggle picking the blue-chip fixture this weekend: there aren’t too many that jump out at you. So why not simply opt for the log-leaders’ match? It is unlikely that battling Birmingham will get anything at all out of this game, although they did run the Red Devils close in only losing out to a lone Wayne Rooney strike at Old Trafford last season. Most of our panel have it more comfortable for Fergie’s troops this time, with my 3-0 the most clear-cut tip on offer; Dave and Ray have it very close.
Rob: Manchester United 3 Birmingham 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-1
Raymond: 2-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 1-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
BOLTON v CHELSEA
Monday, 22:00
The Trotters, still looking surprisingly strong in seventh place, were hopping mad in the first-round meeting at Stamford Bridge soon after Christmas – they were extremely resilient guests but then lost out to a solitary goal under controversial circumstances. They were convinced Didier Drogba was in an offside position in the lead-up to Florent Malouda’s game-breaking tap-in. Since then the Blues have continued to stutter, although they come off a 2-0 win against Blackburn while Bolton crashed at Stoke. Our entire panel backs the away win, and I even have a gut feel that Chelsea will rattle the onion bag a few times. Motivation for Bolton is that they will want to do better than last season’s 0-4 rout: they also have a long-time home hoodoo against Chelsea.
Rob: Bolton 0 Chelsea 3
Garrin: 0-1
David: 0-2
Raymond: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: 0-4
THE DESPERATE DUEL
ASTON VILLA v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 19:30
The desperate team in this encounter, of course, are normally strong Villa, outside the relegation zone by a mere (goal-difference) whisker. You’ve got to think they are punching below their weight and will haul themselves clear of peril, eh? The rather sudden signing of striker Darren Bent -- which has left Sunderland fans livid, mind you -- can’t be a bad move by them. I’ve gone as far as to daringly suggest that they will give themselves a big shot in the arm by pipping high-riding visitors City, although I can’t find a single ally in this hunch. Where are your “mates” when you need them?
Rob: Aston Villa 1 Manchester City 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-2
Raymond: 1-3
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
THE OTHERS
WOLVES v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 14:45
Rob: Wolves 0 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 1-2
David: 1-2
Raymond: 2-2
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
ARSENAL v WIGAN
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Arsenal 3 Wigan 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 3-0
Raymond: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Last season: 4-0
BLACKPOOL v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Blackpool 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-0
Raymond: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
EVERTON v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Everton 1 West Ham 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-2
Raymond: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 2-2
FULHAM v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Fulham 0 Stoke 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 3-1
Raymond: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 0-1
NEWCASTLE v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-2
David: 2-2
Raymond: 1-2
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
BLACKBURN v WEST BROM
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Blackburn 2 West Brom 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-0
Raymond: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
LEADERBOARD
The abbreviation of Dominic’s name might suggest in Afrikaans that he is ... well, a little intellectually challenged. Alas for the rest of us, that is not proving the case at all in his maiden season as a Premiership tipster in such illustrious company: he is holding onto top spot pretty securely. He and mid-table Ray topped the performances last weekend, with 11 points each. After a merciful week off the bottom of the ladder, Dave sadly finds he’s been leapfrogged by Garrin again. Expect that plot to have another twist in it?
159 Dominic (11 points from last round)
148 Rob (9)
144 Raymond (11)
133 Garrin (10)
130 David (6)
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; last week Durban-born former Liverpool and Stuttgart striker SEAN DUNDEE managed a modest five points.
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
MANCHESTER UNITED v BIRMINGHAM
Saturday, 17:00
It was a bit of a struggle picking the blue-chip fixture this weekend: there aren’t too many that jump out at you. So why not simply opt for the log-leaders’ match? It is unlikely that battling Birmingham will get anything at all out of this game, although they did run the Red Devils close in only losing out to a lone Wayne Rooney strike at Old Trafford last season. Most of our panel have it more comfortable for Fergie’s troops this time, with my 3-0 the most clear-cut tip on offer; Dave and Ray have it very close.
Rob: Manchester United 3 Birmingham 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-1
Raymond: 2-1
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 1-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
BOLTON v CHELSEA
Monday, 22:00
The Trotters, still looking surprisingly strong in seventh place, were hopping mad in the first-round meeting at Stamford Bridge soon after Christmas – they were extremely resilient guests but then lost out to a solitary goal under controversial circumstances. They were convinced Didier Drogba was in an offside position in the lead-up to Florent Malouda’s game-breaking tap-in. Since then the Blues have continued to stutter, although they come off a 2-0 win against Blackburn while Bolton crashed at Stoke. Our entire panel backs the away win, and I even have a gut feel that Chelsea will rattle the onion bag a few times. Motivation for Bolton is that they will want to do better than last season’s 0-4 rout: they also have a long-time home hoodoo against Chelsea.
Rob: Bolton 0 Chelsea 3
Garrin: 0-1
David: 0-2
Raymond: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Last season: 0-4
THE DESPERATE DUEL
ASTON VILLA v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 19:30
The desperate team in this encounter, of course, are normally strong Villa, outside the relegation zone by a mere (goal-difference) whisker. You’ve got to think they are punching below their weight and will haul themselves clear of peril, eh? The rather sudden signing of striker Darren Bent -- which has left Sunderland fans livid, mind you -- can’t be a bad move by them. I’ve gone as far as to daringly suggest that they will give themselves a big shot in the arm by pipping high-riding visitors City, although I can’t find a single ally in this hunch. Where are your “mates” when you need them?
Rob: Aston Villa 1 Manchester City 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-2
Raymond: 1-3
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
THE OTHERS
WOLVES v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 14:45
Rob: Wolves 0 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 1-2
David: 1-2
Raymond: 2-2
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
ARSENAL v WIGAN
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Arsenal 3 Wigan 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 3-0
Raymond: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Last season: 4-0
BLACKPOOL v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Blackpool 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-0
Raymond: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
EVERTON v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Everton 1 West Ham 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-2
Raymond: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 2-2
FULHAM v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Fulham 0 Stoke 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 3-1
Raymond: 1-0
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: 0-1
NEWCASTLE v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-2
David: 2-2
Raymond: 1-2
Dominic: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
BLACKBURN v WEST BROM
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Blackburn 2 West Brom 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-0
Raymond: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable
LEADERBOARD
The abbreviation of Dominic’s name might suggest in Afrikaans that he is ... well, a little intellectually challenged. Alas for the rest of us, that is not proving the case at all in his maiden season as a Premiership tipster in such illustrious company: he is holding onto top spot pretty securely. He and mid-table Ray topped the performances last weekend, with 11 points each. After a merciful week off the bottom of the ladder, Dave sadly finds he’s been leapfrogged by Garrin again. Expect that plot to have another twist in it?
159 Dominic (11 points from last round)
148 Rob (9)
144 Raymond (11)
133 Garrin (10)
130 David (6)
