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Cape Town - Each round of the 2013/14 English Premiership season, a panel of Sport24 staff and occasional guest tipsters have a crack at predicting the results - do the exercise yourself, if you like, and see how you compare afterwards.
Compiled by Rob Houwing (Newcastle-partial), the others are Garrin Lambley (Everton), Dominic Valentine (Liverpool, and the defending champion), Herman Mostert (Chelsea) and newcomer Earl Haupt (another ‘Pool fan).
Three points are awarded for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result.
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
EVERTON v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 14:45
The Merseyside derby gets the weekend off to an appealing start with the early kick-off slot at Goodison Park. As if this age-old fixture needed any extra rah-rah anyway, it will feature two sides in the top six, with second-placed ‘Pool looking reasonably credible challengers for an overdue title success in a season where nobody seems to genuinely “want it” thus far. My hunch is the Toffees to end a slightly listless little spell – successive goalless draws with Tottenham and then struggling Crystal Palace – with the only goal of the game, though Reds-partial Earl sees the result going the other way. The rest of the panel take the seemingly sensible 1-1 option ... though when does this league ever make routine sense? For the record, the teams shared a four-goal thriller in the corresponding clash last season: the Blues rallied from 0-2 down, and then Luis Suarez had what seemed like a late winner for the visitors disallowed.
Rob: Everton 1 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 2-2
THE GRUDGE MATCH
ARSENAL v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 17:00
Not only does this Emirates Stadium encounter feature the league leaders against surprisingly third-placed Saints, but there’s a revenge-quest aspect to it as well. Last season, in the equivalent game in September, the visitors from the South Coast were bottom of the Premiership and took a fearful 6-1 pounding: there were two own-goals from the chaotic Southampton defence, plus Gervinho got on the score-sheet twice. Circumstances have changed fairly dramatically for Saints since then, of course, and this game will be a true test of their ability to stay among the Champions League contenders! They arrive having thrashed Hull 4-1 last time out, whilst the Gunners will be out to make amends for their 1-0 loss at Old Trafford. All of us envisage that mission being accomplished ...
Rob: Arsenal 2 Southampton 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 6-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
STOKE v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 17:00
This hardly looks the sexiest fixture on paper for the weekend (bet you it ends 4-4 now), and that is reflected in the log positions of the combatants. The Potters lie a shaky 17th, only beyond the drop zone because of goal difference, and the Black Cats remain mired in 19th despite a marked improvement in recent weeks and fabulous victory over Manchester City last time out. I’m going for a repeat of last season’s 0-0 outcome, although there is also fairly strong support among our tipsters for Stoke to give their home faithful some cheer. They are at least in a bit of goal-scoring touch, after registering a fairly rare three at Swansea – though on the flip side, they also leaked a trio then.
Rob: Stoke 0 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
THE OTHERS
FULHAM v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Fulham 0 Swansea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 1-2
HULL v CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Hull 2 Crystal Palace 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
NEWCASTLE v NORWICH
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Newcastle 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 1-0
WEST HAM v CHELSEA
Saturday, 19:30
Rob: West Ham 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 3-1
MANCHESTER CITY v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 15:30
Rob: Manchester City 2 Tottenham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-1
CARDIFF v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Cardiff 0 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 0-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v ASTON VILLA
Monday, 22:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 2-2
*LEADERBOARD
93 - Herman (3 points in last round)
86 - Dominic (3)
85 - Garrin (3)
80 - Rob (4)
77 - Earl (3)
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
Compiled by Rob Houwing (Newcastle-partial), the others are Garrin Lambley (Everton), Dominic Valentine (Liverpool, and the defending champion), Herman Mostert (Chelsea) and newcomer Earl Haupt (another ‘Pool fan).
Three points are awarded for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result.
THE PRIME ATTRACTION
EVERTON v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 14:45
The Merseyside derby gets the weekend off to an appealing start with the early kick-off slot at Goodison Park. As if this age-old fixture needed any extra rah-rah anyway, it will feature two sides in the top six, with second-placed ‘Pool looking reasonably credible challengers for an overdue title success in a season where nobody seems to genuinely “want it” thus far. My hunch is the Toffees to end a slightly listless little spell – successive goalless draws with Tottenham and then struggling Crystal Palace – with the only goal of the game, though Reds-partial Earl sees the result going the other way. The rest of the panel take the seemingly sensible 1-1 option ... though when does this league ever make routine sense? For the record, the teams shared a four-goal thriller in the corresponding clash last season: the Blues rallied from 0-2 down, and then Luis Suarez had what seemed like a late winner for the visitors disallowed.
Rob: Everton 1 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 2-2
THE GRUDGE MATCH
ARSENAL v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 17:00
Not only does this Emirates Stadium encounter feature the league leaders against surprisingly third-placed Saints, but there’s a revenge-quest aspect to it as well. Last season, in the equivalent game in September, the visitors from the South Coast were bottom of the Premiership and took a fearful 6-1 pounding: there were two own-goals from the chaotic Southampton defence, plus Gervinho got on the score-sheet twice. Circumstances have changed fairly dramatically for Saints since then, of course, and this game will be a true test of their ability to stay among the Champions League contenders! They arrive having thrashed Hull 4-1 last time out, whilst the Gunners will be out to make amends for their 1-0 loss at Old Trafford. All of us envisage that mission being accomplished ...
Rob: Arsenal 2 Southampton 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 6-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
STOKE v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 17:00
This hardly looks the sexiest fixture on paper for the weekend (bet you it ends 4-4 now), and that is reflected in the log positions of the combatants. The Potters lie a shaky 17th, only beyond the drop zone because of goal difference, and the Black Cats remain mired in 19th despite a marked improvement in recent weeks and fabulous victory over Manchester City last time out. I’m going for a repeat of last season’s 0-0 outcome, although there is also fairly strong support among our tipsters for Stoke to give their home faithful some cheer. They are at least in a bit of goal-scoring touch, after registering a fairly rare three at Swansea – though on the flip side, they also leaked a trio then.
Rob: Stoke 0 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
THE OTHERS
FULHAM v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Fulham 0 Swansea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 1-2
HULL v CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Hull 2 Crystal Palace 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
NEWCASTLE v NORWICH
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Newcastle 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 1-0
WEST HAM v CHELSEA
Saturday, 19:30
Rob: West Ham 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 3-1
MANCHESTER CITY v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 15:30
Rob: Manchester City 2 Tottenham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-1
CARDIFF v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Cardiff 0 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 0-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v ASTON VILLA
Monday, 22:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 2-2
*LEADERBOARD
93 - Herman (3 points in last round)
86 - Dominic (3)
85 - Garrin (3)
80 - Rob (4)
77 - Earl (3)
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
