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'Expert' UK footy tips

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

MANCHESTER UNITED v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 16:00

So the Saints go marching in ... er, on. They occupy very rare real estate, considering that they’re placed fourth in the Premiership at present: yes, “Champions League” territory! The south coast team have also enjoyed three wins on the trot against (from most recent) Swansea, Crystal Palace and Liverpool. Meanwhile their weekend hosts and defending champions the Red Devils stay in the relative early-season doldrums under David Moyes’ rookie command: ninth is hardly considered good enough by their understandably demanding faithful and their last home game saw a 2-1 upset at the hands of West Brom, into the bargain. So what price Saints engineering another shocker for the Mancunians? Well, let’s just say United are ominously due a morale-boosting Old Trafford triumph and our panel unanimously acknowledge that!  

Rob: Manchester United 2 Southampton 0 
Garrin: 1-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: 2-1   

THE GRUDGE MATCH

NEWCASTLE v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 13:45


They say goals are always promised whenever these foes meet, a phenomenon that really took root in the helter-skelter days of Kevin Keegan’s management at the Toon (though let’s not forget he was an old Kop favourite, too). I well remember those 4-3 sort of outcomes – sadly usually in the Reds’ favour -- in the mid-1990s when the black-and-whites were worthy title contenders, but also eternal bridesmaids. But the grudge billing comes because although the onion bag was shaken six times in the equivalent St James’ Park fixture last campaign, all the activity embarrassingly came at the Newcastle end (Daniel Sturridge and Jordan Henderson each netted twice). So Alan Pardew’s charges have a major score to settle and, following a morale-lifting win at Cardiff, I just fancy they’re good for a point. Very few agree with me ... funny, that.

Rob: Newcastle 1 Liverpool 1
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 0-2
Last season: 0-6    

THE DESPERATE DUEL

CRYSTAL PALACE v FULHAM
Monday, 21:00


I just thought it was time to take a break from my gleeful Mackem-bashing in this particular space! Sunderland may remain very much rooted to the bottom, but the Monday night London derby features two teams who are almost as deadbeat thus far in 2013/14: hosts Palace, for all their noisy crowd support, lie 19th with only three points to their credit whilst Fulham are barely faring better in 17th. The visitors do boast victory from their last game, at home to Stoke, which is more than Palace can say – it’s been four losses on the trot for them. Still, the popular choice is they’ll scrap out a marginally stabilising point against their city neighbours ...

Rob: Crystal Palace 0 Fulham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable  

THE OTHERS


ARSENAL v NORWICH
Saturday, 16:00


Rob: Arsenal 2 Norwich 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Last season: 3-1 

CHELSEA v CARDIFF
Saturday, 16:00


Rob: Chelsea 3 Cardiff 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable 

EVERTON v HULL
Saturday, 16:00


Rob: Everton 2 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-0
Dominic: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable  

STOKE v WEST BROM
Saturday, 16:00


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

SWANSEA v SUNDERLAND 
Saturday, 16:00


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

WEST HAM v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 18:30


Rob: West Ham 0 Manchester City 2
Garrin: 1-2
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 0-1
Last season: 0-0

ASTON VILLA v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 17:00


Rob: Aston Villa1Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Dominic: 1-2
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-2
Last season: 0-4 

*LEADERBOARD

65 - Herman (11 points in last round)
63 - Garrin (12)
55 - Dominic (8)
52 - Rob (7)
49 - Earl (9)

*Follow our chief writer on Twitter: @RobHouwing
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