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 UNITED v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 15:30
Earl takes the defiant “You’ll never walk alone” approach as he bravely backs his battling Liverpool to bag a hard-earned point from their daunting visit to Old Trafford on Sunday. But he finds no support at all for his theory... hardly surprising when you consider how the listless ‘Pool have subsided to mid-table whilst the revitalised Red Devils enjoy a five-game winning streak and advancement to third. What we all agree on is that this grand north-west clash – it stays forever that way regardless of respective fortunes at the time – ought to be close; nobody sees more than a goal separating the sides. If they fancy an upset, keep in mind that ‘Pool won 3-0 at Old Trafford last season (including two Gerrard penalties), during the turbulent David Moyes tenure.
Rob: Manchester United 1 Liverpool 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 0-3
THE GRUDGE MATCH
ARSENAL v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 19:30
The Gunners did get some free-scoring Euro solace in midweek for their league reverse at Stoke last weekend, so it’s largely for that reason that I gritted my teeth and had to suggest that the hosts will see off the currently pretty chipper Toon. London, after all, isn’t traditionally a particularly happy Newcastle hunting ground. Mind you, beating leaders Chelsea in the north-east last week was no mean feat at all (help of ball boys or not, Jose!) and the black-and-whites will also have revenge thoughts after suffering reverses each time against these foes last season ... including a rather clear-cut 3-0 outcome at the Emirates Stadium. Alas, though, no one sees even a Toon point here.
Rob: Arsenal 3 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-2
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 3-0
THE DESPERATE DUEL
BURNLEY v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 17:00
Poor old Burnley have been in this slot a few times this campaign, even if it is Leicester who currently lie one rung below them in bottom place. And, in truth, they partly earn the billing because of the present woes of the team visiting them – the Saints. The men from the south coast have slipped to fifth from a once especially giddy (for them) second, and earned a meagre one point from their last 12. So confidence hardly oozes from the pores of either side for this one. But I believe Southampton will nick a much-needed win – based to some extent on the fact that their three defeats on the trot recently have come against “big” clubs Arsenal and the pair from Manchester. So maybe they’re not really that wobbly after all?
Rob: Burnley 1 Southampton 2
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 0-1
Last season: Not applicable
THE OTHERS
CHELSEA v HULL
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Chelsea 2 Hull 0
Garrin: 3-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 3-0
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 2-0
CRYSTAL PALACE v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Crystal Palace 2 Stoke 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-0
Last season: 1-0
LEICESTER v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Leicester 0 Manchester City 2
Garrin: 0-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 0-2
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 0-2
Maano: 0-2
Last season: Not applicable
SUNDERLAND v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Sunderland 1 West Ham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 0-1
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 1-2
WEST BROM v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: West Brom 1 Aston Villa 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-0
Wade: 0-0
Tashreeq: 0-0
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 2-2
SWANSEA v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Swansea 1 Tottenham 2
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 1-3
EVERTON v QPR
Monday, 22:00
Rob: Everton 2 QPR 1
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 1-0
Earl: 3-0
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 0-0
Maano: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
LEADERBOARD:
116 - Wade (8 points in last round)
113 - Garrin (5)
110 - Herman (9)
99 - Tashreeq (6)
96 - Rob (5)
92 - Earl (6)
85 - Maano (6)