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'Expert' UK footy tips

Cape Town – Each round of the 2012/13 English Premiership season, a panel of Sport24 staff and occasional guest tipsters have a crack at predicting the results – do it yourself, if you like, and see how you compare afterwards.

Compiled by Rob Houwing (Newcastle-partial), the others are Garrin Lambley (Everton, and last season’s winner), Dominic Valentine (Liverpool) and Herman Mostert (Chelsea).

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

THE PRIME ATTRACTION

CHELSEA v TOTTENHAM

Wednesday, 20:45

Yes, I know ... there’s the not so little matter of Manchester United hosting Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, which ordinarily would be virtually automatic top fixture of a round. But with the Red Devils home and dry for the title, Wednesday’s derby crunch between the Blues and Spurs at Stamford Bridge really has more at stake, given that each combatant is scrapping fiercely for Champions League qualification. It will give the game even more electricity than you would expect anyway. Last year’s equivalent game was a rare goalless draw, but in this season’s meeting at White Hart Lane, Spurs were rather humbled 4-2. Juan Mata bagged a couple after Chelsea had initially gone behind. I just fancy Chelsea to complete a double.

Rob: Chelsea 1 Tottenham 0 
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Last season: 0-0

THE GRUDGE MATCH


LIVERPOOL v EVERTON

Sunday, 14:30

Regardless of the two clubs’ circumstances independently, the Merseyside derby is always a crackling affair ... why should this one be any different? The Toffees have been the superior outfit for the best part of the season, and lay sixth at the start of the weekend to their neighbours’ seventh (but with handy five-point superiority). Liverpool will be buoyed by the fact that an Anfield victory would draw them within two of David Moyes’ troops, and thus still in with a chance of cheekily leapfrogging them for Scouse bragging rights in 2012/13. Even staunch Evertonian Garrin has surprisingly opted for the ‘Pool win, possibly influenced by their 6-0 massacre of Newcastle in the north-east last time out. But I’m going for the cagey stalemate.  

Rob: Liverpool 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Last season: 3-0

THE DESPERATE DUEL

WEST HAM v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 16:00

Every week I keep saying to myself “Toon will be OK”. And every week – certainly of late – they fail lamentably to secure their Premiership survival. It is getting uncomfortably close to last rolls of dices, and somehow they must try to brush off the nightmare of last weekend’s disastrous 0-6 home outcome against Liverpool and at least nick something from this trip to London (an ominous event geographically; Newcastle generally travel poorly to the capital). The Hammers sit safely in mid-table, so perhaps with less riding on the game for them they’ll be unusually charitable? That’s probably wishful thinking, especially as there are plenty of ex-Magpies in the hosts’ managerial or playing ranks, like Messrs Allardyce, Carroll, Nolan ...

Rob: West Ham 2 Newcastle 1 
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-0
Herman: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable

THE OTHERS

FULHAM v READING
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Fulham 2 Reading 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable

NORWICH v ASTON VILLA

Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Norwich 1 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-2
Last season: 2-0  

SWANSEA v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Swansea 0 Manchester City 1
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Last season: 1-0

TOTTENHAM v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Tottenham 2 Southampton 1
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable

WEST BROM v WIGAN
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: West Brom 1 Wigan 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Last season: 1-2

QPR v ARSENAL
Saturday, 18:30

Rob: QPR 0 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 0-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Last season: 2-1

MANCHESTER UNITED v CHELSEA
Sunday, 17:00

Rob: Manchester United 1 Chelsea 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 2-1
Last season: 3-1

SUNDERLAND v STOKE
Monday, 21:00

Rob: Sunderland 0 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Last season: 4-0

MANCHESTER CITY v WEST BROM
Tuesday, 20:45

Rob: Manchester City 2 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 3-0
Last season: 4-0

WIGAN v SWANSEA
Tuesday, 20:45

Rob: Wigan 0 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Last season: 0-2

*LEADERBOARD

267 - Garrin (9 points in last round)
267 - Dominic (7)
257 - Herman (10)
249 - Rob (10)
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