'Expert' UK soccer 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

EVERTON v MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 17:00

We could just as easily have had Chelsea v Newcastle in this space; there’s another good ‘un on Sunday evening as third-placed Manchester United entertain Southampton, one rung below them. But instead in-form defending champions City (joint leaders in every possible respect with the Blues from London) earn the mantle for their short hop in the north-west to tackle an Everton side who ought to be right up for it at Goodison considering their unacceptably low-lying status in 13^th at present. I was seriously tempted to join Earl and Tashreeq in suggesting the Toffees could scrap out a heartening point here, but with even staunch Evertonian Garrin taking a bleak view of things, sanity had to prevail... I’ve got City scoring pretty early, and again late on the counter!

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

THE GRUDGE MATCH

CHELSEA v NEWCASTLE UNITED
Saturday, 17:00

The creative (if that is the right word?) mind of Jose Mourinho felt Newcastle’s deliberately tardy ball-boys were influential in Chelsea’s shock first loss of the season on Tyneside a few weeks back. The fact remains that the 2-1 result (snigger, snigger) is on paper for the world to see. But can the Magpies pull off an unlikely double, this time presumably notably without the help of the Stamford Bridge-based ball boys? Eish, I can’t truly see my managerless team of choice making the long trek back to the north-east with anything to show for their troubles. Revenge will be high on the Chelsea agenda, and we don’t even have the services of (suspended) Papiss Cisse, contributor of that freak, wonder-goal at the ‘Bridge a couple of years back. Still, I appreciate Maano’s little burst of optimism... 

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

THE DESPERATE DUEL

CRYSTAL PALACE v TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
Saturday, 19:30

The all nether-regions clash between Burnley and QPR was another strong candidate for this berth, but with Palace having just slipped into the drop zone (in18th), I thought it just as fitting to highlight their important derby at home to Spurs. This is reasonably familiar territory for the side from Selhurst Park, of course, as they were deep in the dwang last season too, but then rallied amazingly in the spring to pull well clear. Looks like they might need another charge soonish? Perhaps this match will provide some clues as to whether they’re survival material again. But with Tottenham coming off that 5-3 stunner against Chelsea, the dice seems loaded against them. 

Rob: Crystal Palace 0 Tottenham 2
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-2
Last season: 0-1  
               
THE OTHERS

SUNDERLAND v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 14:45

Rob: Sunderland 1 Liverpool 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 0-0
Last season: 1-3                    

BURNLEY v QPR
Saturday, 17:00

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

LEICESTER CITY v ASTON VILLA
Saturday, 17:00

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

SWANSEA v WEST HAM UNITED
Saturday, 17:00

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

WEST BROMWICH ALBION v HULL CITY
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: West Brom 0 Hull 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-0
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 2-0
Last season: 1-1                     

ARSENAL v STOKE CITY
Sunday, 15:30

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

MANCHESTER UNITED v SOUTHAMPTON
Sunday, 18:00

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

LEADERBOARD:

157 - Wade
155 - Garrin
151 - Herman
137 - Rob
133 - Earl
128 - Tashreeq
117 - Maano