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‘Expert’ UK footy tips

Cape Town - Each round of the 2014/15 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), Herman Mostert (Chelsea), Earl Haupt (Liverpool) and a pesky new trio of Manchester United devotees in Tashreeq Vardien, Wade Pretorius and Maano Nekhavhambe.

Three points are awarded for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result.

THE PRIME ATTRACTION

MANCHESTER UNITED v CHELSEA
Sunday, 18:00

Already a pretty formidable five points clear in the title race, Chelsea - buoyed by a hatful of Euro goals in midweek - may well opt not to “park the bus” this time at Old Trafford. It is something Jose Mourinho is notably good at orchestrating when he feels the need for caution, but the big question here is: are the current Red Devils worth such conservatism from the Blues? Instead the Londoners possibly feel all three points are well within capability at a former United fortress. That said, the hosts should not lack competitive juices, and I feel they may be worth a point on Sunday, even if three of our panel (including someone Man U-partial) reckon Chelsea will leave victors. Maano even optimistically favours a home triumph that would lift the mood among the Old Trafford faithful immensely - remember they are currently 10 points adrift of the leaders.   

Rob: Manchester United 1 Chelsea 1  
Garrin: 0-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 2-2
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 0-0                          

THE GRUDGE MATCH

TOTTENHAM v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 15:30

As I am ever so slightly Toon-partial, I will never forget last season’s successful raid on White Hart Lane. I am also first to concede that it was successful more in scoreboard terms (1-0 to the visitors, with Loic Remy the scorer) than due to footballing dominance! On the day, Newcastle owed tons to perhaps the Premiership goalkeeping performance of the season from lanky Tim Krul; he somehow repelled everything that came his way in a game that might well have seen Spurs win by three or four goals but for his brilliance. Naturally Tottenham will be seriously keen to make amends and restore what they believe to be “normal service” on Sunday. Ouch, I join the majority who see that transpiring...

Rob: Tottenham 2 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 0-1                          

THE DESPERATE DUEL

SUNDERLAND v ARSENAL
Saturday, 16:00

Struggling Sunderland simply had to earn this berth, didn’t they? Not only do they lie fourth from bottom, but last weekend’s hideous 0-8 outcome against Southampton (after the north-east fans made one of the longest treks for a Premiership game in England) will take a while to banish from memory banks. Will we see a “response” from the Black Cats as the Gunners - a bit iffy themselves, by their higher standards - come to town? I thought about it long and hard, but then figured that Arsenal’s superior quality should still hold sway. They did, after all, win comfortably at the Stadium of Light last season. Never shy of creative picks, Maano is the lone customer tipping a point for Sunderland.   

Rob: Sunderland 0 Arsenal 2  
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 1-3                     

THE OTHERS

WEST HAM v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 13:45

Rob: West Ham 0 Manchester City 2
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 1-3                    

LIVERPOOL v HULL
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Liverpool 3 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-2
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 2-0           

SOUTHAMPTON v STOKE
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Southampton 2 Stoke 0
Garrin: 1-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 2-2                  

WEST BROM v CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: West Brom 2 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 2-0            

SWANSEA v LEICESTER
Saturday, 18:30

Rob: Swansea 1 Leicester 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-0
Maano: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable                    

BURNLEY v EVERTON
Sunday, 15:30

Rob: Burnley 0 Everton 2
Garrin: 0-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 0-2
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 0-2
Maano: 0-1
Last season: Not applicable  

QPR v ASTON VILLA
Monday, 22:00

Rob: QPR 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 3-2
Maano: 0-1
Last season: Not applicable             

*LEADERBOARD

65 - Garrin (8 points in last round)
59 - Herman (10) & Rob (6)
52 - Wade (7)
45 - Tashreeq (10) & Maano (5)
44 - Earl (5)
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