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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 QPR
Sunday, 16:00
Does anyone out there really believe QPR will aid Manchester United in achieving one of the great last-day jailbreaks to win the league? It might have been a tad more feasible had the game been in London, but at Eastlands you have to assume City will hold their nerve – perhaps even comfortably if they get on the sheet early. Sorry Red Devils fans ... I’ve suggested a fair old hatful, while Dave and Garrin also anticipate the Blues wrapping up the title easily enough. Still, the first-round meeting down south was a fairly ping-pong kind of affair, settled 3-2 by City with a Yaya Toure clinching header.
Rob: Manchester City 4 QPR 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
THE GRUDGE MATCH
TOTTENHAM v FULHAM
Sunday, 16:00
Part of my unashamed, cunning plan for Newcastle to sneak into the Champions League on the last day clearly revolves around Spurs crashing at home to Fulham in a London derby (perhaps in my favour, not the sort of occasions where anyone simply lies down for anyone else). But can the men from Craven Cottage make it happen? Recent history doesn’t suggest so, even if Tottenham are not exactly in vintage form. They won last year’s encounter at White Hart Lane, and in this season’s away fixture it was also Spurs all the way, with a 3-1 outcome. In the end I opted for Fulham having a good crack, and perhaps stealing a point, but Garrin and Dave both choose the home win in a match not anticipated by our panel to sport too many goals ...
Rob: Tottenham 1 Fulham 1
Garrin: 1-0
David: 1-0
Last season: 1-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
STOKE v BOLTON
Sunday, 16:00
With one menacing relegation spot still up for “grabs”, it has become a real white-knuckle ride for Bolton, who must beat the Potters away and also hope (a better likelihood, it must be said) that QPR get nothing out of their supposedly cannon-fodder trip to Man City. Stoke may not be prepared to merely roll over, despite their own safety, because they could climb a few rungs yet if they bag all three points. Some cause for optimism by Bolton is the fact that one of their best performances of an otherwise rotten season came in whipping these opponents 5-0 in the first-round clash. Chris Eagles and Ivan Klasnic netted twice each that day. But there are no takers for a repeat here ...
Rob: Stoke 0 Bolton 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 2-0
THE OTHERS
CHELSEA v BLACKBURN
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Chelsea 2 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 2-0
EVERTON v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Everton 0 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 0-1
NORWICH v ASTON VILLA
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Norwich 2 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 3-2
Last season: Not applicable
SUNDERLAND v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Sunderland 2 Manchester United 3
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-2
Last season: 0-0
SWANSEA v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Swansea 0 Liverpool 2
Garrin: 1-2
David: 2-2
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v ARSENAL
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Arsenal 3
Garrin: 1-2
David: 0-2
Last season: 2-2
WIGAN v WOLVES
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Wigan 0 Wolves 1
Garrin: 2-1
David: 3-0
Last season: 2-0
LEADERBOARD
It’s the last big push and although Garrin is quite obviously the favourite to recapture - from yours truly - a title he last held three seasons back, either of the other two “horses” could still be said to retain some hope in pilfering it at the death. At the very least I hope I can somehow rein in Dave ... it would be great to heave myself off basement spot after what has seemed like months. And yes, possibly is.
261 Garrin (7 points in last round)
257 David (6)
252 Rob (6)
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 QPR
Sunday, 16:00
Does anyone out there really believe QPR will aid Manchester United in achieving one of the great last-day jailbreaks to win the league? It might have been a tad more feasible had the game been in London, but at Eastlands you have to assume City will hold their nerve – perhaps even comfortably if they get on the sheet early. Sorry Red Devils fans ... I’ve suggested a fair old hatful, while Dave and Garrin also anticipate the Blues wrapping up the title easily enough. Still, the first-round meeting down south was a fairly ping-pong kind of affair, settled 3-2 by City with a Yaya Toure clinching header.
Rob: Manchester City 4 QPR 0
Garrin: 2-0
David: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
THE GRUDGE MATCH
TOTTENHAM v FULHAM
Sunday, 16:00
Part of my unashamed, cunning plan for Newcastle to sneak into the Champions League on the last day clearly revolves around Spurs crashing at home to Fulham in a London derby (perhaps in my favour, not the sort of occasions where anyone simply lies down for anyone else). But can the men from Craven Cottage make it happen? Recent history doesn’t suggest so, even if Tottenham are not exactly in vintage form. They won last year’s encounter at White Hart Lane, and in this season’s away fixture it was also Spurs all the way, with a 3-1 outcome. In the end I opted for Fulham having a good crack, and perhaps stealing a point, but Garrin and Dave both choose the home win in a match not anticipated by our panel to sport too many goals ...
Rob: Tottenham 1 Fulham 1
Garrin: 1-0
David: 1-0
Last season: 1-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
STOKE v BOLTON
Sunday, 16:00
With one menacing relegation spot still up for “grabs”, it has become a real white-knuckle ride for Bolton, who must beat the Potters away and also hope (a better likelihood, it must be said) that QPR get nothing out of their supposedly cannon-fodder trip to Man City. Stoke may not be prepared to merely roll over, despite their own safety, because they could climb a few rungs yet if they bag all three points. Some cause for optimism by Bolton is the fact that one of their best performances of an otherwise rotten season came in whipping these opponents 5-0 in the first-round clash. Chris Eagles and Ivan Klasnic netted twice each that day. But there are no takers for a repeat here ...
Rob: Stoke 0 Bolton 0
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 2-0
THE OTHERS
CHELSEA v BLACKBURN
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Chelsea 2 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 2-0
David: 2-0
Last season: 2-0
EVERTON v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Everton 0 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 2-1
Last season: 0-1
NORWICH v ASTON VILLA
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Norwich 2 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
David: 3-2
Last season: Not applicable
SUNDERLAND v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Sunderland 2 Manchester United 3
Garrin: 0-2
David: 1-2
Last season: 0-0
SWANSEA v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Swansea 0 Liverpool 2
Garrin: 1-2
David: 2-2
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v ARSENAL
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Arsenal 3
Garrin: 1-2
David: 0-2
Last season: 2-2
WIGAN v WOLVES
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Wigan 0 Wolves 1
Garrin: 2-1
David: 3-0
Last season: 2-0
LEADERBOARD
It’s the last big push and although Garrin is quite obviously the favourite to recapture - from yours truly - a title he last held three seasons back, either of the other two “horses” could still be said to retain some hope in pilfering it at the death. At the very least I hope I can somehow rein in Dave ... it would be great to heave myself off basement spot after what has seemed like months. And yes, possibly is.
261 Garrin (7 points in last round)
257 David (6)
252 Rob (6)
