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 CITY v CHELSEA
Sunday, 17:00
Champions City had a biggie in London last weekend against Arsenal, and have prime billing all over again as this time they host Chelsea in an even more enticing clash between expensive, ambitious outfits. Both sides enter the fixture a little footsore after midweek European exertions against German opposition – the Mancunians lost late at Bayern Munich, Chelsea were held at home by Schalke – but you’d expect them to be quickly going at it hammer and tongs nevertheless. The visitors are the only remaining team with maximum points after four rounds of Premiership action and the very fact that the leaders are already five points up on City suggests to me that their hosts will be particularly keen to win this one. That said, we offer all possibilities for the humdinger. Remember that last season Chelsea did the league double over these opponents!
Rob: Manchester City 2 Chelsea 0
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 0-1
THE GRUDGE MATCH
ASTON VILLA v ARSENAL
Saturday, 16:00
At the very outset of the season, Villa looked decidedly ordinary ... but yes, there they are, riding second at present with 10 points from a possible 12 and buoyed by a shock win at Anfield last weekend. I read a statistic this week that the Birmingham-based outfit are among the pace-setters despite having the fewest shots on target of any Premiership team thus far! That is likely to interest the Gunners, keen to atone for being outclassed, frankly, at Borussia Dortmund in midweek. I fancy Arsenal to steal all three points in something of a correction for Villa ... although the hosts will be fired up by the memory of losing at home to Arsene Wenger’s side in last season’s corresponding meeting.
Rob: Aston Villa 0 Arsenal 1
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-2
Last season: 1-2
THE DESPERATE DUEL
NEWCASTLE v HULL
Saturday, 16:00
My obvious defence for Toon’s rock-bottom status right now is that these are desperately early days. There again, there will be those quick to remind me that last season Newcastle were fine starters and wretched finishers ... so is that a really bad omen for 2014/15? I could not bring myself to see much of the 0-4 humiliation at Southampton last time out, but reports suggest under-fire Alan Pardew’s charges were putrid. What price a turnaround against Hull? I’ve defiantly predicted that outcome, with heart perhaps over-ruling head. This could have been the grudge game, too, given that it was against these foes that Pardew had his head-butt flashpoint last season. The results in 2013/14 were all topsy-turvy as well ... Hull won at Newcastle and it was 4-1 the other way around at Hull.
Rob: Newcastle 2 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-2
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-3
Maano: 2-0
Last season: 2-3
THE OTHERS
QPR v STOKE
Saturday, 13:45
Rob: QPR 1 Stoke 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 0-1
Last season: Not applicable
BURNLEY v SUNDERLAND
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Burnley 1 Sunderland 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-0
Last season: Not applicable
SWANSEA v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 16:00
Rob: Swansea 1 Southampton 0
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 2-2
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 2-2
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 0-1
WEST HAM v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 18:30
Rob: West Ham 1 Liverpool 1
Garrin: 0-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-3
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 1-2
LEICESTER v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 14:30
Rob: Leicester 0 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-3
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-3
Last season: Not applicable
TOTTENHAM v WEST BROM
Sunday, 14:30
Rob: Tottenham 2 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-1
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 2-0
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 1-1
EVERTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Sunday, 17:00
Rob: Everton 2 Crystal Palace 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-0
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 2-3
*LEADERBOARD
29 - Rob (7 points in last round)
28 - Garrin (8)
26 - Herman (6)
23 - Earl (6)
21 - Wade (4)
20 - Tashreeq (7)
19 - Maano (3)