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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
MANCHESTER CITY v CHELSEA
Wednesday, 21:45
This does shape as a bit of a midweek cracker! Chelsea are a revitalised beast after the axing of Andre Villas-Boas and seem to be genuinely playing for each other and the badge again. Buoyed by their Euro come-from-behind heroics, they will not go to Eastlands with any special trepidation, despite being on the wrong end of a 1-0 result in the equivalent encounter last season (a certain Carlos Tevez, intriguingly, got the winner then). What sort of showing will we see of the hosts, now unceremoniously elbowed into second spot by arch-rivals and defending champions the Red Devils? That loss at Swansea must have caused at least a ripple of self-doubt. Still, they ought to grit their teeth for this one, and Garrin and I strongly fancy a stalemate ... presumably a broadly popular sentiment? David envisages a stirring City bounce-back, mind you.
Rob: Manchester City 1 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 1-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
WOLVES v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 15:30
These are not especially antagonistic foes historically, but a glance at last season explains why these teams command the grudge slot: Wolves handed eventual champs United a rare defeat (2-1) in the corresponding game at Molineux, Kevin Doyle claiming the winner as Wolves came from behind for a reasonably famous and deserved triumph. It snapped a 29-game unbeaten run by Fergie’s side. How Wolves would relish a carbon copy this time! They are very deep in the soup, second from bottom, and come off a crippling home loss to fellow-strugglers Blackburn. Our panel offers you a notably United-skewed series of result possibilities this time, as the visitors are unlikely to make their 2011 mistake twice: two, three, or four-nil to the visitors ...
Rob: Wolves 0 Manchester United 3
Garrin: 0-2
David: 0-4
Last season: 2-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
QPR v LIVERPOOL
Wednesday, 22:00
Several games into the latest campaign, promoted Rangers looked a pretty competent lot, and possibly even mid-table sort of finishers further down the line. But the Premiership always has its twists and turns and the once-glam Londoners have been on a slippery slope for a while – they currently find themselves perched just in the drop zone, after losing away to Bolton last Saturday. They are capable of making life quite tough for visiting ‘Pool, who remain fairly unconvincing in the league. Nevertheless, the Reds will be chipper about their Gerrard-inspired derby whipping of Everton in midweek and doubtless fancy a full house from this trip. All three pundits see Rangers suffering more angst ... albeit not before a bit of a fight, maybe.
Rob: QPR 1 Liverpool 2
Garrin: 1-2
David: 0-2
Last season: Not applicable
THE OTHERS
FULHAM v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Fulham 2 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable
WIGAN v WEST BROM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Wigan 1 West Brom 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 0-1
Last season: 1-0
NEWCASTLE v NORWICH
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Newcastle 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
ASTON VILLA v BOLTON
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Aston Villa 2 Bolton 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 0-1
Last season: 1-1
BLACKBURN v SUNDERLAND
Tuesday, 22:00
Rob: Blackburn 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
TOTTENHAM v STOKE
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Tottenham 2 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 3-2
EVERTON v ARSENAL
Wednesday, 22:00
Rob: Everton 1 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-2
Last season: 1-2
LEADERBOARD
Rather sick of being stuck eternally - and alone - at the foot of the table, I made my big move last week, drawing level with second-placed David after narrowly topping the round. Garrin keeps his nose in front but not by much: he’s only really two correct score-lines clear under our scoring system of three points for a wholly correct score and one for right result. As I said last time: anybody’s race!
200 Garrin (7 points in last round)
194 Rob (8) and David (5)
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
MANCHESTER CITY v CHELSEA
Wednesday, 21:45
This does shape as a bit of a midweek cracker! Chelsea are a revitalised beast after the axing of Andre Villas-Boas and seem to be genuinely playing for each other and the badge again. Buoyed by their Euro come-from-behind heroics, they will not go to Eastlands with any special trepidation, despite being on the wrong end of a 1-0 result in the equivalent encounter last season (a certain Carlos Tevez, intriguingly, got the winner then). What sort of showing will we see of the hosts, now unceremoniously elbowed into second spot by arch-rivals and defending champions the Red Devils? That loss at Swansea must have caused at least a ripple of self-doubt. Still, they ought to grit their teeth for this one, and Garrin and I strongly fancy a stalemate ... presumably a broadly popular sentiment? David envisages a stirring City bounce-back, mind you.
Rob: Manchester City 1 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 1-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
WOLVES v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 15:30
These are not especially antagonistic foes historically, but a glance at last season explains why these teams command the grudge slot: Wolves handed eventual champs United a rare defeat (2-1) in the corresponding game at Molineux, Kevin Doyle claiming the winner as Wolves came from behind for a reasonably famous and deserved triumph. It snapped a 29-game unbeaten run by Fergie’s side. How Wolves would relish a carbon copy this time! They are very deep in the soup, second from bottom, and come off a crippling home loss to fellow-strugglers Blackburn. Our panel offers you a notably United-skewed series of result possibilities this time, as the visitors are unlikely to make their 2011 mistake twice: two, three, or four-nil to the visitors ...
Rob: Wolves 0 Manchester United 3
Garrin: 0-2
David: 0-4
Last season: 2-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
QPR v LIVERPOOL
Wednesday, 22:00
Several games into the latest campaign, promoted Rangers looked a pretty competent lot, and possibly even mid-table sort of finishers further down the line. But the Premiership always has its twists and turns and the once-glam Londoners have been on a slippery slope for a while – they currently find themselves perched just in the drop zone, after losing away to Bolton last Saturday. They are capable of making life quite tough for visiting ‘Pool, who remain fairly unconvincing in the league. Nevertheless, the Reds will be chipper about their Gerrard-inspired derby whipping of Everton in midweek and doubtless fancy a full house from this trip. All three pundits see Rangers suffering more angst ... albeit not before a bit of a fight, maybe.
Rob: QPR 1 Liverpool 2
Garrin: 1-2
David: 0-2
Last season: Not applicable
THE OTHERS
FULHAM v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Fulham 2 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable
WIGAN v WEST BROM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Wigan 1 West Brom 2
Garrin: 1-1
David: 0-1
Last season: 1-0
NEWCASTLE v NORWICH
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Newcastle 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
ASTON VILLA v BOLTON
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Aston Villa 2 Bolton 0
Garrin: 2-1
David: 0-1
Last season: 1-1
BLACKBURN v SUNDERLAND
Tuesday, 22:00
Rob: Blackburn 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
TOTTENHAM v STOKE
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Tottenham 2 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 3-2
EVERTON v ARSENAL
Wednesday, 22:00
Rob: Everton 1 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 1-2
Last season: 1-2
LEADERBOARD
Rather sick of being stuck eternally - and alone - at the foot of the table, I made my big move last week, drawing level with second-placed David after narrowly topping the round. Garrin keeps his nose in front but not by much: he’s only really two correct score-lines clear under our scoring system of three points for a wholly correct score and one for right result. As I said last time: anybody’s race!
200 Garrin (7 points in last round)
194 Rob (8) and David (5)
