'Expert' UK footy tips

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

CHELSEA v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 18:00

The Reds’ management will have had to keep the turkey and bubbly at bay as much as they can, because successive away matches at Manchester City and Chelsea in the space of only three days isn’t the ideal Festive Season assignment. For Chelsea, by contrast, this is a second home fixture on the trot so they will seek to cash in. This game was a stalemate last season and that seems a fair enough prospect again, yes?

Rob: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1  
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-1  

THE GRUDGE MATCH

MANCHESTER UNITED v TOTTENHAM
Wednesday, 19:30

This was an easy choice for the category. Feverishly trying to restore their title challenge, the champions will be well aware that last season Spurs broke a 23-year Old Trafford bogey by winning 3-2. They will be absolutely determined not to let lightning strike twice. There has been managerial upheaval at White Hart Lane of late, so it will take another gritty effort for the Londoners to engineer an upset and I can’t see it happening.

Rob: Manchester United 2 Tottenham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-3       

THE DESPERATE DUEL

FULHAM v WEST HAM
Wednesday, 17:00

Giving poor old Sunderland a bit of a break from this category, I’ve gone instead for a London derby featuring two teams who would dearly wish to be better placed than they are. So we could be in for a particularly gnarly scrap, and Fulham will take heart from earning a thumping win in the corresponding clash last season.

Rob: Fulham 2 West Ham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 3-1    
 
THE OTHERS

WEST HAM v WEST BROM
Saturday, 14:45

Rob: West Ham 2 West Brom 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 3-1    

ASTON VILLA v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: Aston Villa 1 Swansea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 2-0    

HULL v FULHAM
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: Hull 1 Fulham 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable      

MANCHESTER CITY v CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: Manchester City 3 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 3-0
Earl: 4-0
Last season: Not applicable   

NORWICH v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: Norwich 1 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-3
Last season: 1-0    

CARDIFF v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 19:30

Rob: Cardiff 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable  

EVERTON v SOUTHAMPTON
Sunday, 15:30

Rob: Everton 2 Southampton 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 3-1

NEWCASTLE v ARSENAL
Sunday, 15:30

Rob: Newcastle 1 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 0-1    

TOTTENHAM v STOKE
Sunday, 18:00

Rob: Tottenham 1 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 0-0    

SWANSEA v MANCHESTER CITY
Wednesday, 14:45

Rob: Swansea 1 Manchester City 3
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 0-0      

ARSENAL v CARDIFF
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: Arsenal 3 Cardiff 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable      

CRYSTAL PALACE v NORWICH
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: Crystal Palace 1 Norwich 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable   

LIVERPOOL v HULL
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: Liverpool 2 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 3-0
Earl: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable  

SOUTHAMPTON v CHELSEA
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: Southampton 0 Chelsea 1  
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 2-1    

STOKE v EVERTON
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: Stoke 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-1   

SUNDERLAND v ASTON VILLA
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: Sunderland 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 0-1
Herman: 2-2
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 0-1  

WEST BROM v NEWCASTLE
Wednesday, 17:00

Rob: West Brom 1 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-1    

LEADERBOARD

143 - Garrin (14 points in last round), Dominic (19), Herman (20)
127 - Rob (10)
123 - Earl (17)