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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
LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL
Saturday, 14:45
This is the first of two massive Premiership games on the trot for the Gunners, desperately trying to hold off the challenges of both Manchester City and Chelsea who are just two points off them at the top. Liverpool away is first up ... a toughie considering not only that the Reds’ last home game was a 4-0 thrashing of neighbours Everton, but also they are hell-bent (in fourth right now) in staying in touch with the leading pack. Majority sentiment sees the high-stakes clash ending 1-1, although Herman and Earl take the home-win route. As if that isn’t a stiff enough task for Arsenal, four days later they entertain Manchester United. Forget that United are in a shock mid-table situation ... this is always a needle encounter, regardless of log positions.
Rob: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 0-2
THE GRUDGE MATCH
NORWICH v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 17:00
I chose this one for the slot - though the Welsh derby between Swansea and Cardiff has plenty of combustible ingredients too - because the Canaries were victims in the first-round meeting of one of the worst drubbings of the season. They lost 7-0 at the Etihad Stadium, and it would have been scant consolation that seven different names made the score-sheet – including two own-goals from their beleaguered ranks. Some consolation for Norwich is that the return is at their own paddock, Carrow Road, although predictably none of our forecasters see anything but another routine three points for title-hungry and currently unfailing City. I guess last season’s result (see below) provides just the hint that an upset is possible, but don’t hold your breath.
Rob: Norwich 0 Manchester City 3
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-3
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 3-4
THE DESPERATE DUEL
MANCHESTER UNITED v FULHAM
Saturday, 18:00
Sorry, United fans ... you’ve made this berth again. In truth, though, it is primarily because the visiting Londoners are in more than a spot of bother: Fulham have had four reverses on the trot in the Premiership and slipped to the bottom rung, two point adrift of Cardiff. So you have to think that the Red Devils, even given their own dramas, can pretty safely target a morale-lifting full house of points here. There is no disagreement on that score, particularly when you consider some recent history between the clubs; United won 3-2 at Old Trafford last season and have already claimed a 3-1 triumph in the away duel this time around.
Rob: Manchester United 2 Fulham 0
Garrin: 3-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 3-2
THE OTHERS
ASTON VILLA v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Aston Villa 2 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 2-1
CHELSEA v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-0
CRYSTAL PALACE v WEST BROM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Crystal Palace 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
SOUTHAMPTON v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Southampton 1 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 1-1
SUNDERLAND v HULL
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Sunderland 1 Hull 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
Saturday, 19:30
Rob: Swansea 0 Cardiff 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
TOTTENHAM v EVERTON
Sunday, 15:30
Rob: Tottenham 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-2
CARDIFF v ASTON VILLA
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Cardiff 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: Not applicable
HULL v SOUTHAMPTON
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Hull 0 Southampton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST HAM v NORWICH
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: West Ham 1 Norwich 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
WEST BROM v CHELSEA
Tuesday, 22:00
Rob: West Brom 0 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 0-2
Herman: 0-2
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 2-1
ARSENAL v MANCHESTER UNITED
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Arsenal 2 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 3-1
Last season: 1-1
EVERTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Everton 2 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
MANCHESTER CITY v SUNDERLAND
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Manchester City 2 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 3-0
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 3-0
NEWCASTLE v TOTTENHAM
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
STOKE v SWANSEA
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Stoke 1 Swansea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-0
FULHAM v LIVERPOOL
Wednesday, 22:00
Rob: Fulham 1 Liverpool 2
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-3
*LEADERBOARD
205 - Dominic (6 points in last round)
204 - Garrin (6)
186 - Herman (5)
183 - Rob (8)
166 - Earl (6)
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
LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL
Saturday, 14:45
This is the first of two massive Premiership games on the trot for the Gunners, desperately trying to hold off the challenges of both Manchester City and Chelsea who are just two points off them at the top. Liverpool away is first up ... a toughie considering not only that the Reds’ last home game was a 4-0 thrashing of neighbours Everton, but also they are hell-bent (in fourth right now) in staying in touch with the leading pack. Majority sentiment sees the high-stakes clash ending 1-1, although Herman and Earl take the home-win route. As if that isn’t a stiff enough task for Arsenal, four days later they entertain Manchester United. Forget that United are in a shock mid-table situation ... this is always a needle encounter, regardless of log positions.
Rob: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 0-2
THE GRUDGE MATCH
NORWICH v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 17:00
I chose this one for the slot - though the Welsh derby between Swansea and Cardiff has plenty of combustible ingredients too - because the Canaries were victims in the first-round meeting of one of the worst drubbings of the season. They lost 7-0 at the Etihad Stadium, and it would have been scant consolation that seven different names made the score-sheet – including two own-goals from their beleaguered ranks. Some consolation for Norwich is that the return is at their own paddock, Carrow Road, although predictably none of our forecasters see anything but another routine three points for title-hungry and currently unfailing City. I guess last season’s result (see below) provides just the hint that an upset is possible, but don’t hold your breath.
Rob: Norwich 0 Manchester City 3
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-3
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 3-4
THE DESPERATE DUEL
MANCHESTER UNITED v FULHAM
Saturday, 18:00
Sorry, United fans ... you’ve made this berth again. In truth, though, it is primarily because the visiting Londoners are in more than a spot of bother: Fulham have had four reverses on the trot in the Premiership and slipped to the bottom rung, two point adrift of Cardiff. So you have to think that the Red Devils, even given their own dramas, can pretty safely target a morale-lifting full house of points here. There is no disagreement on that score, particularly when you consider some recent history between the clubs; United won 3-2 at Old Trafford last season and have already claimed a 3-1 triumph in the away duel this time around.
Rob: Manchester United 2 Fulham 0
Garrin: 3-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 3-2
THE OTHERS
ASTON VILLA v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Aston Villa 2 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 2-1
CHELSEA v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Chelsea 2 Newcastle 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-0
CRYSTAL PALACE v WEST BROM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Crystal Palace 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
SOUTHAMPTON v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Southampton 1 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 1-1
SUNDERLAND v HULL
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Sunderland 1 Hull 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable
SWANSEA v CARDIFF
Saturday, 19:30
Rob: Swansea 0 Cardiff 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
TOTTENHAM v EVERTON
Sunday, 15:30
Rob: Tottenham 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-2
CARDIFF v ASTON VILLA
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Cardiff 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: Not applicable
HULL v SOUTHAMPTON
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: Hull 0 Southampton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST HAM v NORWICH
Tuesday, 21:45
Rob: West Ham 1 Norwich 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
WEST BROM v CHELSEA
Tuesday, 22:00
Rob: West Brom 0 Chelsea 1
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 0-2
Herman: 0-2
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 2-1
ARSENAL v MANCHESTER UNITED
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Arsenal 2 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 3-1
Last season: 1-1
EVERTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Everton 2 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
MANCHESTER CITY v SUNDERLAND
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Manchester City 2 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 3-0
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 3-0
NEWCASTLE v TOTTENHAM
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Newcastle 1 Tottenham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
STOKE v SWANSEA
Wednesday, 21:45
Rob: Stoke 1 Swansea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-0
FULHAM v LIVERPOOL
Wednesday, 22:00
Rob: Fulham 1 Liverpool 2
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-3
*LEADERBOARD
205 - Dominic (6 points in last round)
204 - Garrin (6)
186 - Herman (5)
183 - Rob (8)
166 - Earl (6)
