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
HULL v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 16:00
Few of the games on the final day of the season have a genuinely sexy look about them, so this was my eventual choice. At least you can pretty much say there’s something at stake for both sides: the Red Devils retain a (very) outside chance of seizing third place from Arsenal if the Gunners crash at home to West Brom and they get a thumping win here. For Hull there is even more to play for, of course... their very survival. In a nutshell, they have to win and hope Newcastle don’t, either. There’s overwhelming support for a 2-1 win by the away side, I see. United did thump Hull 3-0 at Old Trafford...
Rob: Hull 1 Manchester United 2
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 1-2
Last season: 2-3
THE GRUDGE MATCH
STOKE v LIVERPOOL
Sunday, 16:00
Perhaps we’ll see in this one whether Liverpool actually fancy a place in the oft-dreaded, energy-sapping and soulless Europa League! They still have a bit of work to do to ensure they actually bank a spot. The grudge branding comes because the Potters – generally a tough nut to crack at home – found themselves on the receiving end of a 5-3 whipping in the equivalent fixture last season; the sorely-missed Luis Suarez grabbed a brace that day.
Rob: Stoke 1 Liverpool 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-0
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 3-5
THE DESPERATE DUEL
NEWCASTLE v WEST HAM
Sunday, 16:00
All I can say is that I hope several of my co-tipsters are correct in their optimistic assertion that the embattled Toon will finally win a match when they most need to (and thus be guaranteed to stay up). I am so demoralised about their slide into the relegation mire that I can’t even bring myself to envisage a Newcastle win; I join the stalemate sentiment, with the associated belief that Manchester United will provide the vital additional favour by earning at least a point at Hull. Hammers won 1-0 in the London game, courtesy of a strike from Aaron Cresswell.
Rob: Newcastle 1 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-2
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 0-0
THE OTHERS
ARSENAL v WEST BROM
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Arsenal 1 West Brom 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 1-0
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 1-0
ASTON VILLA v BURNLEY
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Aston Villa 2 Burnley 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-2
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable
CHELSEA v SUNDERLAND
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Chelsea 2 Sunderland 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 4-2
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 1-2
CRYSTAL PALACE v SWANSEA
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Crystal Palace 1 Swansea 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 3-2
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 3-2
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 0-2
EVERTON v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Everton 2 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-2
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 3-3
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 0-0
LEICESTER v QPR
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Leicester 1 QPR 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-2
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
MANCHESTER CITY v SOUTHAMPTON
Sunday, 16:00
Rob: Manchester City 2 Southampton 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 5-2
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 0-0
Last season: 4-1
LEADERBOARD:
286 - Garrin (8 points in last round)
280 - Wade (9)
265 - Herman (4)
262 - Tashreeq (4)
261 - Rob (9)
258 - Earl (9)
239 - Maano (10)