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 MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 18:00
You don’t need too much extra spicing for this encounter between the big spenders of the Premiership, both of whom are right in the frame again early on for an assault on the 2013/14 title. But it’s especially nicely set up because both sides come off heartening Champions League wins in midweek – Chelsea trounced Schalke 3-0 away whilst City had the last laugh after disgraceful racist chanting in Moscow to pip CSKA 2-1. Latest Premiership form is decent respectively, too: the Londoners put four past Cardiff last weekend and the north-west outfit earned a comfortable 3-1 win in a trip to West Ham. This fixture ended goalless last season, in the first game in charge for Chelsea’s temporary boss Rafa Benitez, and I fancy another stalemate albeit with some score-sheet activity this time ...
Rob: Chelsea 1 Manchester City 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 0-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
SUNDERLAND v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 15:30
The Wear-Tyne derby is an electric, often stormy affair, regardless of where the teams are situated on the table – and Sunderland are in a real pickle at present with a flimsy one point to their credit and rock bottom. I have no doubt they’ll be up for this one ... what a timely opportunity to register a first win! But the question is whether the Toon are prepared to be charitable, and it’s unlikely. The visitors are in the top half of the table (just) after an up-and-down start to the campaign, but will be motivated by the thumping they took from the Black Cats at Newcastle in the last derby meeting of 2012/13. Despite Sunderland’s woes, this particular black-and-whites devotee wouldn’t be too mortified by a battling away point.
Rob: Sunderland 1 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
CRYSTAL PALACE v ARSENAL
Saturday, 13:45
Arsenal are top of the pile at present so no “desperation” angle for them, even if they will be seeking to make amends for their midweek Euro loss to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates: some of their biggest names had strangely subdued outings. But it is Palace staring down a barrel right now, only kept off the basement slot by Sunderland’s worse ineptitude. The Londoners have lost seven of their eight Premiership matches, and Ian Holloway has vacated the manager’s office following the latest 4-1 thumping at home to Fulham on Monday night. So there’s some disarray and the Gunners will wish to capitalise – most of us see them bagging another three points at a canter.
Rob: Crystal Palace 0 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 0-3
Dominic: 1-3
Herman: 1-4
Earl: 0-2
Last season: Not applicable
THE OTHERS
ASTON VILLA v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Aston Villa 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-3
LIVERPOOL v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Liverpool 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-0
Last season: 0-2
MANCHESTER UNITED v STOKE
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Manchester United 3 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 4-2
NORWICH v CARDIFF
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Norwich 1Cardiff 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable
SOUTHAMPTON v FULHAM
Saturday, 18:30
Rob: Southampton 1 Fulham 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-2
SWANSEA v WEST HAM
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Swansea 1 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 3-0
TOTTENHAM v HULL
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Tottenham 2 Hull 1
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 3-0
Earl: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable
*LEADERBOARD
73 - Herman (8 points in last round)
68 - Garrin (5)
63 - Dominic (8)
58 - Rob (6)
57 - Earl (8)
*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
CHELSEA v MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 18:00
You don’t need too much extra spicing for this encounter between the big spenders of the Premiership, both of whom are right in the frame again early on for an assault on the 2013/14 title. But it’s especially nicely set up because both sides come off heartening Champions League wins in midweek – Chelsea trounced Schalke 3-0 away whilst City had the last laugh after disgraceful racist chanting in Moscow to pip CSKA 2-1. Latest Premiership form is decent respectively, too: the Londoners put four past Cardiff last weekend and the north-west outfit earned a comfortable 3-1 win in a trip to West Ham. This fixture ended goalless last season, in the first game in charge for Chelsea’s temporary boss Rafa Benitez, and I fancy another stalemate albeit with some score-sheet activity this time ...
Rob: Chelsea 1 Manchester City 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 0-0
THE GRUDGE MATCH
SUNDERLAND v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 15:30
The Wear-Tyne derby is an electric, often stormy affair, regardless of where the teams are situated on the table – and Sunderland are in a real pickle at present with a flimsy one point to their credit and rock bottom. I have no doubt they’ll be up for this one ... what a timely opportunity to register a first win! But the question is whether the Toon are prepared to be charitable, and it’s unlikely. The visitors are in the top half of the table (just) after an up-and-down start to the campaign, but will be motivated by the thumping they took from the Black Cats at Newcastle in the last derby meeting of 2012/13. Despite Sunderland’s woes, this particular black-and-whites devotee wouldn’t be too mortified by a battling away point.
Rob: Sunderland 1 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-1
THE DESPERATE DUEL
CRYSTAL PALACE v ARSENAL
Saturday, 13:45
Arsenal are top of the pile at present so no “desperation” angle for them, even if they will be seeking to make amends for their midweek Euro loss to Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates: some of their biggest names had strangely subdued outings. But it is Palace staring down a barrel right now, only kept off the basement slot by Sunderland’s worse ineptitude. The Londoners have lost seven of their eight Premiership matches, and Ian Holloway has vacated the manager’s office following the latest 4-1 thumping at home to Fulham on Monday night. So there’s some disarray and the Gunners will wish to capitalise – most of us see them bagging another three points at a canter.
Rob: Crystal Palace 0 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 0-3
Dominic: 1-3
Herman: 1-4
Earl: 0-2
Last season: Not applicable
THE OTHERS
ASTON VILLA v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Aston Villa 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 1-3
LIVERPOOL v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Liverpool 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-0
Last season: 0-2
MANCHESTER UNITED v STOKE
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Manchester United 3 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-1
Last season: 4-2
NORWICH v CARDIFF
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Norwich 1Cardiff 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable
SOUTHAMPTON v FULHAM
Saturday, 18:30
Rob: Southampton 1 Fulham 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-2
SWANSEA v WEST HAM
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Swansea 1 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Last season: 3-0
TOTTENHAM v HULL
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Tottenham 2 Hull 1
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 3-0
Earl: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable
*LEADERBOARD
73 - Herman (8 points in last round)
68 - Garrin (5)
63 - Dominic (8)
58 - Rob (6)
57 - Earl (8)
*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing