'Expert' UK footy 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 Wade Pretorius, Tashreeq Vardien and Maano Nekhavhambe.

Three points are awarded for an entirely correct scoreline, and one for right result.

THE PRIME ATTRACTION

MANCHESTER CITY v MANCHESTER UNITED
Sunday, 15:30

Intriguing time for this derby ... the champions from the blue half of Manchester are wobbling a tad after a league defeat at surprise packages West Ham and then home loss to rejuvenated Newcastle in the Capital One Cup. So there is a fair chance that the Red Devils, heartened by the way they clawed back for a late point against Chelsea, cheekily fancy their chances. They are, after all, trying to avenge last season’s respective drubbings from the old enemy: by 4-1 at the Etihad Stadium and 3-0 at Old Trafford, Interestingly, only one of our seven-strong panel – Wade – believes the spoils will be shared; it is usually a safe choice for occasions such as this. Four of us have City edging it by a 2-1 score-line.

Rob: Manchester City 2 Manchester United 1  
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 4-1                         

THE GRUDGE MATCH

CHELSEA v QPR
Saturday, 17:00

Newcastle v Liverpool was another strong candidate for this slot, with memories still surprisingly fresh of some epic late-1990s clashes between these sides when the Reds had a nasty (depending on your point of view) habit of stealing seven-goal thrillers. But Toon featured in this berth last week, so the fair-mindedness in me opted instead for the London derby between the comfortable log-leaders and visitors QPR. Based on contrasting table fortunes, you wouldn’t really expect it to be close – and that’s how some of us have gone – but there is some interest in Rangers being competitive based on their heartening Monday night triumph over Aston Villa. But it’s another three points for Jose Mourinho’s charges, surely?

Rob: Chelsea 3 QPR 0
Garrin: 3-0
Herman: 2-0
Earl: 4-0
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 3-1
Last season: Not applicable                          

THE DESPERATE DUEL

ARSENAL v BURNLEY
Saturday, 17:00

It’s the visitors to whom this status most pertinently applies: Burnley are the only club yet to record a Premiership win after nine starts and as a result are firmly rooted to the basement berth, three points adrift of anyone else. They need a change of fortunes soon ... but it’s unlikely to begin on this trip. Arsenal are under some heat of their own, as they currently lie outside the “Champions League zone” in fifth and are already a formidable nine points behind the lead. I have a feeling the Gunners will turn on a charm offensive at the Emirates ... though Herman is one who sees it as much more nail-biting than that.

Rob: Arsenal 4 Burnley 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-0
Wade: 3-0
Tashreeq: 3-1
Maano: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable                     

THE OTHERS

NEWCASTLE v LIVERPOOL
Saturday, 14:45

Rob: Newcastle 1 Liverpool 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 1-2
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 2-2                    

EVERTON v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00

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

HULL v SOUTHAMPTON
Saturday, 17:00

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

LEICESTER v WEST BROM
Saturday, 17:00

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

STOKE v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: Stoke 1 West Ham 0
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 0-1
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 3-1                    

ASTON VILLA v TOTTENHAM
Sunday, 18:00

Rob: Aston Villa 1 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-2
Maano: 0-0
Last season: 0-2

CRYSTAL PALACE v SUNDERLAND
Monday, 22:00

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

*LEADERBOARD

71 - Garrin (6 points in last round)
68 - Rob (9)
64 - Herman (5)
59 - Wade (7)
56 - Tashreeq (11)
49 - Earl (5)
47 - Maano (2)