'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

NEWCASTLE v MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 17:00

Ouch, I’d have preferred a slightly less taxing start for the Magpies than an immediate visit from the defending champions – and a renowned bogey team of ours anyway. Last season it was 2-0 to City in the north-east and they did the business even more comfortably at home, winning 4-0. Some cause for hope is that upsets do happen on the opening weekend, so perhaps a sneaky point is possible ... Earl offers that outcome, but through gritted teeth I have had to join the overwhelming chorus of “City victory”. Newcastle have made plenty of additions to their squad in the off-season, but the million-dollar question will be: are they good additions? We shall find out soon enough ...  

Rob: Newcastle 0 Manchester City 2  
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 2-4
Maano: 0-3
Last season: 0-2                         

THE GRUDGE MATCH

LIVERPOOL v SOUTHAMPTON
Sunday, 14:30

The now Suarez-less runners-up from last season go into Anfield battle first-up as they attempt to go one better in 2014/15. It looks like a relatively straightforward assignment for the Reds, given that Southampton have shed so many of their leading lights from last season. Three of them have joined Liverpool! But that is just one reason for the grudge billing here. Another is that last season, Saints raided Merseyside for an upset 1-0 win ... one of just two home setbacks for ‘Pool (the other was that costly late-campaign one to Chelsea). All but one of our tipsters tick off a home triumph, although Maano bravely fancies lightning to strike twice.

Rob: Liverpool 2 Southampton 1
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 4-1
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 0-1                         

THE DESPERATE DUEL

BURNLEY v CHELSEA
Monday, 21:00

You get the feeling that only Leicester, who won the Championship last season by some distance, of the newcomers are fairly confidently expected by wise sages to manage to stay up in their first year back in the top flight. There are plenty of takers for Burnley, the runners-up, and QPR, the other promoted club, to be victims of an immediate tumble back down. Little Lancashire outfit Burnley, carrying the flag for a market town with a population of only some 86,000, kick off with a Monday night toughie at home to expected title contenders Chelsea. Sadly for them, a full house of forecasters here expects the Blues to grab all three points, although Tashreeq fancies a five-goal thriller. Burnley could probably do with a lotto-type encounter ...   

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

THE OTHERS

MANCHESTER UNITED v SWANSEA
Saturday, 13:45

Rob: Manchester United 2 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 3-0
Maano: 4-1
Last season: 2-0                   

LEICESTER v EVERTON
Saturday, 16:00

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

QPR v HULL
Saturday, 16:00

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

STOKE v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: Stoke 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-0
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 2-1           

WEST BROM v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 16:00

Rob: West Brom 2 Sunderland 2
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 3-0                   
WEST HAM v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 16:00

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

ARSENAL v CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday, 18:30

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