Cape Town - Each round of the 2011/12 English Premiership season, a panel of Sport24 staff or guest tipsters have a crack at predicting the results – do it yourself, if you like, and see how you compare afterwards.
Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion for the last two seasons but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), and David Brooke (Manchester United).
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
TOTTENHAM v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 18:10
The big question around this enticing match-up – on paper, anyway – is just how bilious will Spurs still be feeling after their humiliation at the hands of Arsenal? There must be some lingering element of self-doubt after blowing the London derby so astonishingly from 2-0 up! It is on those grounds that I riskily fancy the champions, under pressure to stay in close touch with leaders and neighbours Man City, to raid White Hart Lane for all three points. I have support for that theory from Dave, even given the slight Reds tinge to his thoughts, whilst Garrin predictably goes 1-1 for a clash like this one. Still, he may have at least partly based it on last year’s equivalent stalemate.
Rob: Tottenham 0 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-2
Last season: 0-0
ALMOST THE PRIME ATTRACTION
LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL
Saturday, 14:45
In a break from proud Footy Tips tradition, I have omitted the “Desperate Duel” category this weekend, having tired just a tad of trying to hype up matches involving lame ducks like Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn. In its place comes Prime Attraction II, because on any other day Liverpool v Arsenal would be a compelling candidate for top billing, wouldn’t it? And despite ‘Pool’s markedly hard-fought Carling Cup trophy success over Cardiff last Sunday, I am backing the Gunners to raid Anfield for all three points, suddenly buoyed by that epic 5-2 win against arch-rivals Spurs. Yes, I believe they will take some residual sparkle to Liverpool, even if Garrin and Dave both offer more cautious assessments ...
Rob: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
THE GRUDGE MATCH
NEWCASTLE v SUNDERLAND
Sunday, 14:00
“I’ll be ringing you within 20 seconds of the final whistle if we win,” trumpeted my Sunderland-hailing father-in-law from England a couple of days ago. “If that happens you won’t find me ... I’ll have already scuttled out with the dog,” I replied. But I am pretty confident my beloved Toon will instead take the ever-fierce north-east derby, despite slightly wobbly league form of late by both teams – the Black Cats come off two losses to slightly arrest the “Martin O’Neill momentum” and Newcastle a rare roasting at Spurs and then disappointing home draw with Wolves. Recent derby history is in our favour: we won at the Stadium of Light much earlier this season, and Sunderland fans won’t want reminding of the 5-1 result for the black-and-whites in the directly corresponding fixture last season, when now-departed Kevin Nolan grabbed a hat-trick.
Rob: Newcastle 1 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-2
Last season: 5-1
THE OTHERS
BLACKBURN v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Blackburn 0 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 2-0
MANCHESTER CITY v BOLTON
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Manchester City 2 Bolton 0
Garrin: 3-0
David: 3-1
Last season: 1-0
QPR v EVERTON
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: QPR 1 Everton 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
STOKE v NORWICH
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Stoke 2 Norwich 1
Garrin: 2-1
David: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v CHELSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-0
Last season: 1-3
WIGAN v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Wigan 1 Swansea 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable
FULHAM v WOLVES
Sunday, 16:05
Rob: Fulham 1 Wolves 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 1-0
Last season: 2-1
LEADERBOARD
Like the ailing golfer whose spirits are suddenly lifted by a few good holes, I was chuffed with my round-topping nine points last week, including two bang-on scorelines: Chelsea and Manchester City’s respective 3-0 wins against Bolton and Blackburn. It still leaves me a few points adrift of leader Garrin, but now just six off hauling in David in second. I reckon it could still be anybody’s race to grab, with several weeks yet to go ...
184 Garrin (5 points in last round)
182 David (4)
176 Rob (9)
Compiled by Rob Houwing (the champion for the last two seasons but a Newcastle supporter for his sins), the others are Garrin Lambley (very Everton-partial), and David Brooke (Manchester United).
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
TOTTENHAM v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 18:10
The big question around this enticing match-up – on paper, anyway – is just how bilious will Spurs still be feeling after their humiliation at the hands of Arsenal? There must be some lingering element of self-doubt after blowing the London derby so astonishingly from 2-0 up! It is on those grounds that I riskily fancy the champions, under pressure to stay in close touch with leaders and neighbours Man City, to raid White Hart Lane for all three points. I have support for that theory from Dave, even given the slight Reds tinge to his thoughts, whilst Garrin predictably goes 1-1 for a clash like this one. Still, he may have at least partly based it on last year’s equivalent stalemate.
Rob: Tottenham 0 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-2
Last season: 0-0
ALMOST THE PRIME ATTRACTION
LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL
Saturday, 14:45
In a break from proud Footy Tips tradition, I have omitted the “Desperate Duel” category this weekend, having tired just a tad of trying to hype up matches involving lame ducks like Wigan, Wolves and Blackburn. In its place comes Prime Attraction II, because on any other day Liverpool v Arsenal would be a compelling candidate for top billing, wouldn’t it? And despite ‘Pool’s markedly hard-fought Carling Cup trophy success over Cardiff last Sunday, I am backing the Gunners to raid Anfield for all three points, suddenly buoyed by that epic 5-2 win against arch-rivals Spurs. Yes, I believe they will take some residual sparkle to Liverpool, even if Garrin and Dave both offer more cautious assessments ...
Rob: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
THE GRUDGE MATCH
NEWCASTLE v SUNDERLAND
Sunday, 14:00
“I’ll be ringing you within 20 seconds of the final whistle if we win,” trumpeted my Sunderland-hailing father-in-law from England a couple of days ago. “If that happens you won’t find me ... I’ll have already scuttled out with the dog,” I replied. But I am pretty confident my beloved Toon will instead take the ever-fierce north-east derby, despite slightly wobbly league form of late by both teams – the Black Cats come off two losses to slightly arrest the “Martin O’Neill momentum” and Newcastle a rare roasting at Spurs and then disappointing home draw with Wolves. Recent derby history is in our favour: we won at the Stadium of Light much earlier this season, and Sunderland fans won’t want reminding of the 5-1 result for the black-and-whites in the directly corresponding fixture last season, when now-departed Kevin Nolan grabbed a hat-trick.
Rob: Newcastle 1 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-2
Last season: 5-1
THE OTHERS
BLACKBURN v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Blackburn 0 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 2-0
MANCHESTER CITY v BOLTON
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Manchester City 2 Bolton 0
Garrin: 3-0
David: 3-1
Last season: 1-0
QPR v EVERTON
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: QPR 1 Everton 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
STOKE v NORWICH
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Stoke 2 Norwich 1
Garrin: 2-1
David: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v CHELSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-0
Last season: 1-3
WIGAN v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Wigan 1 Swansea 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable
FULHAM v WOLVES
Sunday, 16:05
Rob: Fulham 1 Wolves 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 1-0
Last season: 2-1
LEADERBOARD
Like the ailing golfer whose spirits are suddenly lifted by a few good holes, I was chuffed with my round-topping nine points last week, including two bang-on scorelines: Chelsea and Manchester City’s respective 3-0 wins against Bolton and Blackburn. It still leaves me a few points adrift of leader Garrin, but now just six off hauling in David in second. I reckon it could still be anybody’s race to grab, with several weeks yet to go ...
184 Garrin (5 points in last round)
182 David (4)
176 Rob (9)