'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 Tashreeq Vardien, Wade Pretorius and Maano Nekhavhambe.

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

THE PRIME ATTRACTION

CHELSEA v WEST HAM
Next Friday, 14:45

For a while I’ve been wondering: “When will the West Ham bubble burst?” Instead the Hammers keep on ... well, blowing bubbles rather merrily. Not far off the halfway mark of the Premiership season, they stay stubbornly in Champions League terrain (fourth). A major test of their true mettle comes next Friday, however, as they visit co-Londoners and log-leading Chelsea. All of us see the Blues running out winners, and most fairly comfortably, but bear in mind that West Ham did fight out a goalless share of the spoils at Stamford Bridge last season.

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

THE GRUDGE MATCH

NEWCASTLE v SUNDERLAND
Sunday, 15:30

OK, bit of personal bias here, given that the north-east rivals aren’t exactly in the title equation, but this derby is still one of the most feisty you could imagine in England. My first thought is always: which of Messrs Tiote or Cattermole will get the first card (either yellow or red)? Newcastle ride a fair bit higher at present, but are as unpredictable as ever. The extra bit of grudge factor for them is that the Black Cats have tended to boast bragging rights in the last couple of years, and after a 3-0 away clobbering of the Magpies last season there was cheeky talk in Sunderland that the Toon should change the name of their hallowed home ground to the “O3 Arena”. Ouch. I’m going the conservative route this time: 1-1.  

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

THE DESPERATE DUEL

LIVERPOOL v ARSENAL
Sunday, 18:00

Several teams in the genuine nether regions have important clashes over the busy festive season, but I have instead used this slot as an opportunity to punt the traditionally big meeting between ‘Pool and the Gunners. After all, the Merseysiders do sport a healthy measure of desperation, given their depressing status this season as 18 points off the silverware pace after their very close shave in 2013/14. You can’t exactly rely on sixth-placed Arsenal to consistently prosper either, in the present campaign, but they did trounce Newcastle 4-1 last time out and may be eyeing an Anfield raid for all three points. But our panel give you all results ...  

Rob: Liverpool 1 Arsenal 2
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 2-0
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 5-1                     

THE OTHERS

MANCHESTER CITY v CRYSTAL PALACE
Saturday, 14:45

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

ASTON VILLA v MANCHESTER UNITED
Saturday, 17:00

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

HULL v SWANSEA
Saturday, 17:00

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

QPR v WEST BROM
Saturday, 17:00

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

SOUTHAMPTON v EVERTON
Saturday, 17:00

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

TOTTENHAM v BURNLEY
Saturday, 17:00

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

WEST HAM v LEICESTER
Saturday, 17:00

Rob: West Ham 2 Leicester 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 1-0
Last season: Not applicable              

STOKE v CHELSEA
Monday, 22:00

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

BURNLEY v LIVERPOOL
Next Friday, 17:00

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

CRYSTAL PALACE v SOUTHAMPTON
Next Friday, 17:00

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

EVERTON v STOKE
Next Friday, 17:00

Rob: Everton 1 Stoke 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 2-0
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 4-0              

LEICESTER v TOTTENHAM
Next Friday, 17:00

Rob: Leicester 1 Tottenham 2
Garrin: 1-2
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-1
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 1-3
Maano: 2-2
Last season: Not applicable                    

MANCHESTER UNITED v NEWCASTLE
Next Friday, 17:00

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

SUNDERLAND v HULL
Next Friday, 17:00

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

SWANSEA v ASTON VILLA
Next Friday, 17:00

Rob: Swansea 2 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 3-0
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-2
Last season: 4-1                    

WEST BROM v MANCHESTER CITY
Next Friday, 17:00

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

ARSENAL v QPR
Next Friday, 19:30

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

*LEADERBOARD

127 - Wade (11 points in last round)
124 - Garrin (11)
123 - Herman (13)
109 - Rob (13)
103 - Tashreeq (4)
102 - Earl (10)
90 - Maano (5)