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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

WIGAN v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday, 17:00


Yes, this game doesn’t jump out at you for “wow” factor in a slightly curtailed, eight-game programme this week, but at least it pits the leaders away to a team presently in the relegation zone, so there’s no lack of incentive for either side. United aren’t exactly firing on all cylinders after their not-pretty scraps against the unlikely combo of Crawley (FA Cup) and Marseille (Champions League). So that’s my motivation for calling it pretty tight – Ray shares that view – although Dave and Dom see comfortable daylight for the Red Devils. Last season’s outcome tends to lend weight to that theory, but let’s wait and see. Don’t forget that United may be distracted a tad by advance thoughts of their rearranged game at Chelsea on Tuesday!

Rob: Wigan 1 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-4
Raymond: 1-2  
Dominic: 0-3
 Last season: 0-5

THE GRUDGE MATCH

NEWCASTLE v BOLTON
Saturday, 17:00


This is a fairly high-stakes mid-table affair, as we’re reaching that stage of the season where unfancied teams like these start thinking about long-shot Euro aspirations of some sort. If Toon bump off the Trotters they’ll also leapfrog them on the table. Why the “grudge” mantle? It’s based on events in the first-round fixture at Bolton, where the hosts rather thumped the black-and-whites 5-1, helped by two goals apiece for Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander. It was also a day which saw Newcastle’s Argentine stopper Fabricio Coloccini sent off. Oh, and this is also another opportunity for key Toon midfield workhorse Kevin “chicken dance” Nolan to encounter the club where he was once so popular. My cagey tip is a draw, with Garrin concurring. I don’t mind the remainder of pro-Toon sentiment one bit, though ...

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

THE DESPERATE DUEL

WOLVES v BLACKPOOL
Saturday, 17:00

The grimness goes on for Wolves, still stuck in bottom spot, although they are at least level on points with West Ham. They must try to get something out of this fixture – even a point surely wouldn’t be sniffed at – and maybe this isn’t the worst time to entertain Blackpool at Molineux. The visitors, after all, have had a rocky ride of late after their early heroics, although it must be added that they also had a mighty fine home win over Tottenham in midweek! You can get all results from our tipsters, with leader Dom interestingly the only one backing the home three-pointer. So c’mon you Tangerines!

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

THE OTHERS

EVERTON v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 17:00


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

ASTON VILLA v BLACKBURN
Saturday, 17:00


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

WEST HAM v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 15:30


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

MANCHESTER CITY v FULHAM
Sunday, 17:00


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

STOKE v WEST BROM
Monday, 22:00


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

LEADERBOARD

The giant stirs ... or was it simply a once-off emission of hot air? I’d like to believe it’s the former, of course. I made up some pretty spectacular ground on stubborn leader Dom in the last round, slashing his lead by more than half. Another week like that and ... well, need I say the rest about rightful service, etc? At least it seems to be “game on” for the last few weeks of the campaign. Dave has barged his way up to third spot, shifting Ray down a notch, while Garrin’s ongoing woe is at least demonstrating he’s wonderfully “consistent” this season.

191 Dominic (4 points from last round)
185 Rob (12)
168 David (7)
167 Ray (3)
150 Garrin (3)
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