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 MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 14:37
If current leaders Liverpool win this humungous game in terms of the title race, I fancy that they will go on to lift the trophy. Yes, it is possibly that relevant a tussle on Merseyside. However, both Herman and I have a hunch that the visitors, still very much in the picture themselves, will cause some tears at Anfield on Sunday. They have much me of a “been there, done that” sort of experience of crunch late-season fixtures in recent times and it could prove pivotal here. Let’s not forget that the Blues did the business (2-1) in the first-round clash at the Etihad Stadium. But unashamed ‘Pool enthusiast Earl defiantly tips a precious home victory, whilst Garrin and Dominic take the safe 1-1 route ...
Rob: Liverpool 1 Manchester City 2
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-2
THE GRUDGE MATCH
SUNDERLAND v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:07
This might have taken the “desperate” slot as well, given Sunderland’s basement woes – they’re uncomfortably close to being certainties for the drop now – and Everton’s frantic push to make the Champions League cut. So the stakes are mutually high, but the grudge factor is also relevant: the Black Cats have been a bit of a bogey side for the Toffees of late. Everton were unexpectedly taken out 1-0 by the north-east club at Goodison earlier in the season on Boxing Day (Ki Sung-Yeung penalty), and were also tripped up by the same scoreline in their last Premiership visit to the Stadium of Light in 2012/13. It is the sort of ammunition to fire up Gus Poyet’s charges, but not surprisingly a full house of tipsters goes with the form factor – Everton away win.
Rob: Sunderland 0 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 0-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
FULHAM v NORWICH
Saturday, 16:07
If Liverpool v Man City is huge at the top, this one has potentially enormous weight in the quest to stave off the costly drop. It pits the 18th-placed Fulham against the side one berth above them and just in the safety zone, in a London-staged tussle that may not be too pretty. Majority sentiment favours Fulham bagging another win after their welcome success at Villa last weekend. Also considered by those backing the home win, perhaps, was last season’s outcome at Craven Cottage: Fulham earned a rare 5-0 scoreline to have the Canaries’ followers anything but chirpy.
Rob: Fulham 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 5-0
THE OTHERS
CRYSTAL PALACE v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: Crystal Palace 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
SOUTHAMPTON v CARDIFF
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: Southampton 1 Cardiff 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
STOKE v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: Stoke 1 Newcastle 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-1
WEST BROM v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: West Brom 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 0-1
SWANSEA v CHELSEA
Sunday, 17:07
Rob: Swansea 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 0-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
ARSENAL v WEST HAM
Tuesday, 20:45
Rob: Arsenal 2 West Ham 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 5-1
EVERTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Wednesday, 20:45
Rob: Everton 1 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
MANCHESTER CITY v SUNDERLAND
Wednesday, 20:45
Rob: Manchester City 3 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-1
Last season: 3-0
*LEADERBOARD
267 - Dominic (8 points in last round)
260 - Garrin (7)
241 - Rob (7)
240 - Herman (7)
220 - Earl (7)
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 MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 14:37
If current leaders Liverpool win this humungous game in terms of the title race, I fancy that they will go on to lift the trophy. Yes, it is possibly that relevant a tussle on Merseyside. However, both Herman and I have a hunch that the visitors, still very much in the picture themselves, will cause some tears at Anfield on Sunday. They have much me of a “been there, done that” sort of experience of crunch late-season fixtures in recent times and it could prove pivotal here. Let’s not forget that the Blues did the business (2-1) in the first-round clash at the Etihad Stadium. But unashamed ‘Pool enthusiast Earl defiantly tips a precious home victory, whilst Garrin and Dominic take the safe 1-1 route ...
Rob: Liverpool 1 Manchester City 2
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-2
THE GRUDGE MATCH
SUNDERLAND v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:07
This might have taken the “desperate” slot as well, given Sunderland’s basement woes – they’re uncomfortably close to being certainties for the drop now – and Everton’s frantic push to make the Champions League cut. So the stakes are mutually high, but the grudge factor is also relevant: the Black Cats have been a bit of a bogey side for the Toffees of late. Everton were unexpectedly taken out 1-0 by the north-east club at Goodison earlier in the season on Boxing Day (Ki Sung-Yeung penalty), and were also tripped up by the same scoreline in their last Premiership visit to the Stadium of Light in 2012/13. It is the sort of ammunition to fire up Gus Poyet’s charges, but not surprisingly a full house of tipsters goes with the form factor – Everton away win.
Rob: Sunderland 0 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 0-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
FULHAM v NORWICH
Saturday, 16:07
If Liverpool v Man City is huge at the top, this one has potentially enormous weight in the quest to stave off the costly drop. It pits the 18th-placed Fulham against the side one berth above them and just in the safety zone, in a London-staged tussle that may not be too pretty. Majority sentiment favours Fulham bagging another win after their welcome success at Villa last weekend. Also considered by those backing the home win, perhaps, was last season’s outcome at Craven Cottage: Fulham earned a rare 5-0 scoreline to have the Canaries’ followers anything but chirpy.
Rob: Fulham 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 5-0
THE OTHERS
CRYSTAL PALACE v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: Crystal Palace 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
SOUTHAMPTON v CARDIFF
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: Southampton 1 Cardiff 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
STOKE v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: Stoke 1 Newcastle 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 2-1
WEST BROM v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 16:07
Rob: West Brom 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 0-1
SWANSEA v CHELSEA
Sunday, 17:07
Rob: Swansea 0 Chelsea 2
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 0-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
ARSENAL v WEST HAM
Tuesday, 20:45
Rob: Arsenal 2 West Ham 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 5-1
EVERTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Wednesday, 20:45
Rob: Everton 1 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
MANCHESTER CITY v SUNDERLAND
Wednesday, 20:45
Rob: Manchester City 3 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 3-0
Dominic: 3-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-1
Last season: 3-0
*LEADERBOARD
267 - Dominic (8 points in last round)
260 - Garrin (7)
241 - Rob (7)
240 - Herman (7)
220 - Earl (7)