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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; last week for a giggle we asked Sport24 publisher/editor TANK LANNING, who cares much more about heels against the head than he does the offside trap, to have a stab – and sure enough he eclipsed all but one of us by bagging seven points.

But we soldier on, tails between our legs in abject shame ...

THE PRIME ATTRACTION

MANCHESTER UNITED v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 14:45


In some ways, City may feel that this is a good time to contest the famous derby, what with United licking their wounds after that shock first reverse for the season at the hands of lowly Wolves. Does that mean the Red Devils are ripe for another plucking? My own suspicion is not – it will only motivate them to restore normal service, and against such bitter enemies into the bargain. City need to surge forward, of course, because only a win will help make up any meaningful ground on the leaders, and they do have a chance with Man U old boy Carlos Tevez in good touch and some injury concerns, reportedly, in the home defence. Yet there are no takers for any special Blues delight, come late afternoon on Saturday, with a point their best predicted harvest ...

Rob: Manchester United 2 Manchester City 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Raymond: 1-1 
Dominic: 2-2
 Last season: 4-3

THE GRUDGE MATCH

FULHAM v CHELSEA
Monday, 22:00


This is presently the biggest of West London’s soccer derbies (mind you, perhaps QPR will be back in the big league soon to complicate matters!) and it should make for agreeable viewing in the Monday night slot. Like so many tussles between neighbouring British clubs, the police will be extra vigilant for any crowd disorder – trouble flared in 2006 for instance when Fulham won 1-0, their first conquest over the Blues in 27 years. The mid-table hosts roll over for nobody at Craven Cottage, but our panel can’t bring themselves to see anything but defeat for them here – perhaps meaning a happier night than his debut appearance was for a certain Mr Torres?

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

THE DESPERATE DUEL

WEST BROM v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00


These are bleak times for a quartet of “W” clubs in the Premiership, as they occupy all four of the basement slots! And here two of ‘em go head to head in one of those potential six-point-swing affairs. Hosts the Baggies can at least boast that they are the ones marginally above the relegation zone ... but then again a precious Hammers win would probably catapult them off bottom rung and take them clear of the “drop” area. So this game will be suitably feisty, I’m sure. Smartest money, not surprisingly, is on a low-risk stalemate, but Dom will give you 1-0 and Dave 0-1. I never knew that the latter’s “forever blowing bubbles” ...  

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

THE OTHERS


LIVERPOOL v WIGAN
Saturday, 17:00


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

BLACKPOOL v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 17:00


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

ARSENAL v WOLVES
Saturday, 17:00


Rob: Arsenal 4 Wolves 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-0
Raymond: 3-0 
Dominic: 2-0
Last season: 1-0

BLACKBURN v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 17:00


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

BIRMINGHAM v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00


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

SUNDERLAND v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 19:30


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

BOLTON v EVERTON
Sunday, 18:00


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

LEADERBOARD

A pretty ordinary round for all of us last week (heard that one before?) ... but then how on earth can you accurately predict such eccentric results as Everton 5 Blackpool 3 or Newcastle 4 Arsenal 4? That is exactly why this is no place for the faint-hearted, say I. Ray and our once-off, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey guest Tank Lanning topped the pops with seven points each, though I am chuffed to say I made up two points on long-time leader Dom. His lead remains a formidable 14, alas, but that was still marginally better than a smack in the chops ...

187 Dominic (4 points from last round)
173 Rob (6)
164 Raymond (7)
161 David (6)
147 Garrin (4)
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