Tipsters: Tight between Gunners, Blues!

Cape Town – It’s a “best of the rest” sort of tussle, given Manchester City’s outrageous dominance thus far, but Arsenal v Chelsea remains a reasonably enticing derby prospect next Wednesday as the English Premiership programme stays very busy.

But our tipsters don’t exactly see either closing the gap significantly on the rampant Sky Blues, with a cagey draw the majority prediction.

Meanwhile, of course, there is inevitable, widespread backing for City to power onward, beating both Crystal Palace and Watford over the next few days.

Each round of the 2017/18 Premiership season, our experts have a crack at predicting the results.

Compiled by Rob Houwing (Newcastle-partial), the others are Garrin Lambley (Everton), Lloyd Burnard, Tashreeq Vardien, Baden Gillion and Lynn Butler (all Man Utd) plus Craig Taylor (Liverpool).

Three points are awarded for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result. Try it yourself and see how you shape up ...

OUR FORECASTS:

LIVERPOOL v LEICESTER
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: 2-1
Garrin: 2-0
Tashreeq: 3-0 
Lloyd: 3-0
Lynn: 3-1
Craig: 3-1
Baden: 3-2

Last season: 4-1

NEWCASTLE v BRIGHTON
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 2-1 
Tashreeq: 2-1
Lloyd: 1-0
Lynn: 1-0
Craig: 1-1
Baden: 1-0

Last season: Not applicable

CHELSEA v STOKE
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: 2-0
Garrin: 3-0
Tashreeq: 3-1
Lloyd: 2-0
Lynn: 2-1
Craig: 3-0
Baden: 2-0

Last season: 4-2

HUDDERSFIELD v BURNLEY
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Lloyd: 1-1
Lynn: 1-1
Craig: 1-1
Baden: 1-1

Last season: Not applicable

WATFORD v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Lloyd: 1-1
Lynn: 1-0
Craig: 2-1
Baden: 2-1

Last season: 1-0

BOURNEMOUTH v EVERTON
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-2
Lloyd: 1-2
Lynn: 0-1
Craig: 1-2
Baden: 1-1

Last season: 1-0

MANCHESTER UNITED v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 19:30

Rob: 2-1
Garrin: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-0
Lloyd: 1-0
Lynn: 2-1
Craig: 3-1
Baden: 2-1

Last season: 2-0

CRYSTAL PALACE v MANCHESTER CITY
Sunday, 14:00

Rob: 0-3
Garrin: 0-3
Tashreeq: 2-2
Lloyd: 1-2
Lynn: 1-3
Craig: 0-2
Baden: 1-4

Last season: 1-2

WEST BROM v ARSENAL
Sunday, 18:30

Rob: 1-2
Garrin: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-3
Lloyd: 1-3
Lynn: 0-2
Craig: 1-2
Baden: 1-3

Last season: 3-1

BRIGHTON v BOURNEMOUTH
Monday, 14:30

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-2
Lloyd: 1-1
Lynn: 1-0
Craig: 1-1
Baden: 1-0

Last season: Not applicable

STOKE v NEWCASTLE
Monday, 17:00

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Lloyd: 1-1
Lynn: 1-1
Craig: 2-1
Baden: 1-1

Last season: Not applicable

LEICESTER v HUDDERSFIELD
Monday, 17:00

Rob: 2-0
Garrin: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Lloyd: 2-0
Lynn: 2-2
Craig: 2-1
Baden: 3-2

Last season: Not applicable

BURNLEY v LIVERPOOL
Monday, 17:00

Rob: 0-2
Garrin: 1-2
Tashreeq: 2-4
Lloyd: 1-3
Lynn: 1-4
Craig: 1-2
Baden: 1-1

Last season: 2-0

EVERTON v MANCHESTER UNITED
Monday, 19:30

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 0-1
Tashreeq: 2-2
Lloyd: 0-1
Lynn: 1-2
Craig: 1-2
Baden: 1-2

Last season: 1-1

SWANSEA v TOTTENHAM
Tuesday, 21:45

Rob: 0-1
Garrin: 0-2
Tashreeq: 0-2
Lloyd: 0-1
Lynn: 0-4
Craig: 0-2
Baden: 1-4

Last season: 1-3

WEST HAM v WEST BROM
Tuesday, 21:45

Rob: 2-0
Garrin: 1-1
Tashreeq: 2-1
Lloyd: 2-0
Lynn: 2-0
Craig: 2-1
Baden: 2-1

Last season: 2-2

SOUTHAMPTON v CRYSTAL PALACE
Tuesday, 21:45

Rob: 1-0
Garrin: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-2
Lloyd: 2-1
Lynn: 2-1
Craig: 1-1
Baden: 1-1

Last season: 3-1

MANCHESTER CITY v WATFORD
Tuesday, 22:00

Rob: 3-0
Garrin: 3-0
Tashreeq: 3-1
Lloyd: 4-0
Lynn: 3-1
Craig: 2-0
Baden: 3-0

Last season: 2-0

ARSENAL v CHELSEA
Wednesday, 21:45

Rob: 1-1
Garrin: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Lloyd: 2-0
Lynn: 1-1
Craig: 1-1
Baden: 2-1

Last season: 3-0

TOTTENHAM v WEST HAM
Thursday, 22:00

Rob: 2-0
Garrin: 2-1
Tashreeq: 2-1
Lloyd: 2-0
Lynn: 3-0
Craig: 2-1
Baden: 2-2

Last season: 3-2 

*LEADERBOARD:

159 Lloyd (16 points in last, double round)
150 Garrin (16)
140 Rob (14)
134 Tashreeq (15)
133 Craig (16)
130 Lynn (9)
120 Baden (9)