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Rob Houwing
Each round of the English Premiership season, those in the know at Sport24 – and those happy to thumb-suck – take a stab at predicting the results.
Compiled by Chief Writer Rob Houwing, with predictions from Managing Editor Garrin Lambley, Multimedia Editor Raymond Kilfoil, Commercial Manager David Brooke and former Bafana striker and current Sport24 columnist George Dearnaley, we’ll have you confused in no time … take our advice at your peril!
CHELSEA v FULHAM
Saturday, 16:00
A derby against closest London neighbours is perhaps not quite what Chelsea had in mind between their seismic Euro ties against Barcelona. But they’re paid (well) to perform and must draw on reserves of stamina. Four of the Flutter five see the Blues winning, but I’ll settle for last year’s scoreline, with Chelsea’s eyes not fully on this particular ball.
Rob: Chelsea 0 Fulham 0
Garrin: 1-0
Raymond: 2-0
David: 3-0
George: 1-0
Last season: 0-0
MANCHESTER CITY v BLACKBURN
Saturday, 16:00
City come off successive wins, the last a really good one at Everton. So confidence ought not be in short supply. But are they good enough to keep on winning routinely? Methinks not, and Blackburn will scrap hard to ease lingering relegation fears. They’re in good fettle themselves, after downing Wigan 2-0, and Ray even sees them sneaking all three points on the road …
Rob: Manchester City 1 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 2-1
George: 2-0
Last season: 2-2
MIDDLESBROUGH v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday, 13:45
Come on, you Red Devils! The first of my fair-weather-friend cries for the weekend, what with my thoughts so focused on Newcastle somehow avoiding the drop. I really need United to put aside burning Champions League considerations and dispose of Boro. It could be close, especially when you examine last year’s squared outcome, but Dave and Ray are in no doubt I’ll get my wish.
Rob: Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 0-2
Raymond: 0-3
David: 1-4
George: 0-2
Last season: 2-2
PORTSMOUTH v ARSENAL
Saturday, 16:00
Elbowed out (narrowly) in the big Euro first-leg semi at Old Trafford, the Gunners will be another of those teams with minds potentially drifting during this one. I see them being distracted enough not to beat Pompey, and George even sees the home side shading it. Arsenal were “blanked” in last year’s game on the south coast.
Rob: Portsmouth 1 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 1-2
David: 0-2
George: 2-1
Last season: 0-0
STOKE v WEST HAM
Saturday, 16:00
Once fancied to go down, it’s amazing how the Potters have moved consummately clear of the drop-zone (says this fan of the “mighty” Toon, enviously). They’re in a bit of a ding-dong cycle after a 1-0 home win followed by 1-0 away loss. The Hammers, meanwhile, are ruing a saved penalty that probably denied them a point against Chelsea, and I think this will galvanise them to victory here. Nobody agrees with me …
Rob: Stoke 1 West Ham 2
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-0
David: 1-0
George: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
TOTTENHAM v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00
Was their thrashing of Sunderland a flash in the pan after the horse had bolted? (How’s that for an outrageous mixed metaphor?) Truth be told, the Baggies remain in the mire and should find Spurs away too hot to handle. Mind you, the home side will be a tad fragile after the way they turned a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford into a 5-2 humbling. Clear-cut Spurs win nevertheless by the Flutter panel, to a man.
Rob: Tottenham 2 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 3-0
David: 4-1
George: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
WIGAN v BOLTON
Saturday, 16:00
These sort of late-season matches between honest Premiership workhorses are never very easy to predict. So the only debate between our pundits, it seems, is whether to opt for 0-0 (me) or 1-1 (Garrin, Ray and George). Now, of course, it will turn into a 6-4 goal-fest! Basement tipster Dave goes against the stalemate grain to see Wigan grabbing a full house, as he plays yet another SOS card. Does he have any left?
Rob: Wigan 0 Bolton 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 2-0
George: 1-1
Last season: 1-0
LIVERPOOL v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 14:30
I do like Garrin’s optimism for the point-steal by the Magpies! I’m afraid it’s most likely to be temporary insanity – even I can’t quite muster the enthusiasm for Newcastle taking something away from Anfield. (Even in their mid-90s “heyday”, Toon tended to lose 4-3 in this fixture.) Dave and George give us no hope at all. I tip Liverpool to edge a surprisingly tight affair, with Michael Owen netting against his old club, how’s that?
Rob: Liverpool 2 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 3-2
David: 3-0
George: 3-0
Last season: 3-0
SUNDERLAND v EVERTON
Sunday, 17:00
As you’d expect, I’ve also turned short-term Toffees fan. It worries me that three of the forecasters fancy the Black Cats for a point, but I’m joining Ray in seeing Everton being a shade too steely. Still, Sunderland have some redemption to do for their faithful, after the shocker at West Brom …
Rob: Sunderland 0 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 1-1
George: 1-1
Last season: 0-1
ASTON VILLA v HULL
Monday, 21:00
Come on Villa! It’s a cry I’ve heard all season from George “they’re my second club now” Dearnaley. And of course part of my great Newcastle survival plan revolves around Hull continuing their hapless freefall, so consider me part of the chorus. I like the full house of confidence in the Monday night home win: I might crack open a bottle of red if Martin O’Neill’s lads prevail. (I’ll probably have opened a bottle of red anyway.)
Rob: Aston Villa 1 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 2-1
David: 3-2
George: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable
*LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 34 (three points for a fully correct scoreline, one point for correct result)
245 Garrin (13 points for last round)
238 Rob (7)
219 Ray (5)
214 George (7)
190 David (5)
Verdict: Sad to confess it, but just for the moment I appear to have punched myself out. I jabbed away for several weeks, after all, to get within one point of Garrin at the summit … and then surrendered much of the momentum last weekend as the leader bagged a sprightly 13 points to my seven. Back to the drawing board -- and perhaps even the skipping rope -- if I’m to recapture my sharpness with time running out. Still no change in the “one to five” pecking order, although George is threatening Ray’s mid-table slot anew. Dave? Have you fled the country yet, Dave?
Each round of the English Premiership season, those in the know at Sport24 – and those happy to thumb-suck – take a stab at predicting the results.
Compiled by Chief Writer Rob Houwing, with predictions from Managing Editor Garrin Lambley, Multimedia Editor Raymond Kilfoil, Commercial Manager David Brooke and former Bafana striker and current Sport24 columnist George Dearnaley, we’ll have you confused in no time … take our advice at your peril!
CHELSEA v FULHAM
Saturday, 16:00
A derby against closest London neighbours is perhaps not quite what Chelsea had in mind between their seismic Euro ties against Barcelona. But they’re paid (well) to perform and must draw on reserves of stamina. Four of the Flutter five see the Blues winning, but I’ll settle for last year’s scoreline, with Chelsea’s eyes not fully on this particular ball.
Rob: Chelsea 0 Fulham 0
Garrin: 1-0
Raymond: 2-0
David: 3-0
George: 1-0
Last season: 0-0
MANCHESTER CITY v BLACKBURN
Saturday, 16:00
City come off successive wins, the last a really good one at Everton. So confidence ought not be in short supply. But are they good enough to keep on winning routinely? Methinks not, and Blackburn will scrap hard to ease lingering relegation fears. They’re in good fettle themselves, after downing Wigan 2-0, and Ray even sees them sneaking all three points on the road …
Rob: Manchester City 1 Blackburn 1
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 2-1
George: 2-0
Last season: 2-2
MIDDLESBROUGH v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday, 13:45
Come on, you Red Devils! The first of my fair-weather-friend cries for the weekend, what with my thoughts so focused on Newcastle somehow avoiding the drop. I really need United to put aside burning Champions League considerations and dispose of Boro. It could be close, especially when you examine last year’s squared outcome, but Dave and Ray are in no doubt I’ll get my wish.
Rob: Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 1
Garrin: 0-2
Raymond: 0-3
David: 1-4
George: 0-2
Last season: 2-2
PORTSMOUTH v ARSENAL
Saturday, 16:00
Elbowed out (narrowly) in the big Euro first-leg semi at Old Trafford, the Gunners will be another of those teams with minds potentially drifting during this one. I see them being distracted enough not to beat Pompey, and George even sees the home side shading it. Arsenal were “blanked” in last year’s game on the south coast.
Rob: Portsmouth 1 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-2
Raymond: 1-2
David: 0-2
George: 2-1
Last season: 0-0
STOKE v WEST HAM
Saturday, 16:00
Once fancied to go down, it’s amazing how the Potters have moved consummately clear of the drop-zone (says this fan of the “mighty” Toon, enviously). They’re in a bit of a ding-dong cycle after a 1-0 home win followed by 1-0 away loss. The Hammers, meanwhile, are ruing a saved penalty that probably denied them a point against Chelsea, and I think this will galvanise them to victory here. Nobody agrees with me …
Rob: Stoke 1 West Ham 2
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 0-0
David: 1-0
George: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
TOTTENHAM v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00
Was their thrashing of Sunderland a flash in the pan after the horse had bolted? (How’s that for an outrageous mixed metaphor?) Truth be told, the Baggies remain in the mire and should find Spurs away too hot to handle. Mind you, the home side will be a tad fragile after the way they turned a 2-0 lead at Old Trafford into a 5-2 humbling. Clear-cut Spurs win nevertheless by the Flutter panel, to a man.
Rob: Tottenham 2 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Raymond: 3-0
David: 4-1
George: 3-0
Last season: Not applicable
WIGAN v BOLTON
Saturday, 16:00
These sort of late-season matches between honest Premiership workhorses are never very easy to predict. So the only debate between our pundits, it seems, is whether to opt for 0-0 (me) or 1-1 (Garrin, Ray and George). Now, of course, it will turn into a 6-4 goal-fest! Basement tipster Dave goes against the stalemate grain to see Wigan grabbing a full house, as he plays yet another SOS card. Does he have any left?
Rob: Wigan 0 Bolton 0
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-1
David: 2-0
George: 1-1
Last season: 1-0
LIVERPOOL v NEWCASTLE
Sunday, 14:30
I do like Garrin’s optimism for the point-steal by the Magpies! I’m afraid it’s most likely to be temporary insanity – even I can’t quite muster the enthusiasm for Newcastle taking something away from Anfield. (Even in their mid-90s “heyday”, Toon tended to lose 4-3 in this fixture.) Dave and George give us no hope at all. I tip Liverpool to edge a surprisingly tight affair, with Michael Owen netting against his old club, how’s that?
Rob: Liverpool 2 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 3-2
David: 3-0
George: 3-0
Last season: 3-0
SUNDERLAND v EVERTON
Sunday, 17:00
As you’d expect, I’ve also turned short-term Toffees fan. It worries me that three of the forecasters fancy the Black Cats for a point, but I’m joining Ray in seeing Everton being a shade too steely. Still, Sunderland have some redemption to do for their faithful, after the shocker at West Brom …
Rob: Sunderland 0 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Raymond: 1-2
David: 1-1
George: 1-1
Last season: 0-1
ASTON VILLA v HULL
Monday, 21:00
Come on Villa! It’s a cry I’ve heard all season from George “they’re my second club now” Dearnaley. And of course part of my great Newcastle survival plan revolves around Hull continuing their hapless freefall, so consider me part of the chorus. I like the full house of confidence in the Monday night home win: I might crack open a bottle of red if Martin O’Neill’s lads prevail. (I’ll probably have opened a bottle of red anyway.)
Rob: Aston Villa 1 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-1
Raymond: 2-1
David: 3-2
George: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable
*LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 34 (three points for a fully correct scoreline, one point for correct result)
245 Garrin (13 points for last round)
238 Rob (7)
219 Ray (5)
214 George (7)
190 David (5)
Verdict: Sad to confess it, but just for the moment I appear to have punched myself out. I jabbed away for several weeks, after all, to get within one point of Garrin at the summit … and then surrendered much of the momentum last weekend as the leader bagged a sprightly 13 points to my seven. Back to the drawing board -- and perhaps even the skipping rope -- if I’m to recapture my sharpness with time running out. Still no change in the “one to five” pecking order, although George is threatening Ray’s mid-table slot anew. Dave? Have you fled the country yet, Dave?
