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 MANCHESTER CITY
Saturday, 19:30
OK, there’s been a fortnight’s break from Premiership action, but that doesn’t stave off the reality that last time out, City lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal, and Chelsea stuffed Swansea 5-0 away. It’s one reason why the Londoners currently hold a very tidy five-point lead in the title race. Frankly, if the Manchester outfit surrender this clash, eight points would look like a particularly unlikely shortfall to make up. So the visitors may be just a little inclined to park the bus at Stamford Bridge, even if it is not a speciality of theirs. They drew 1-1 in the north-west earlier in the campaign, and I’ve gone for the same outcome for Saturday night’s spectacle. But there’s also good weight in favour of Jose Mourinho wearing a smug smile after 90-odd minutes...
Rob: Chelsea 1 Manchester City 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 2-1
THE GRUDGE MATCH
MANCHESTER UNITED v LEICESTER
Saturday, 17:00
Who can forget the first-round meeting between these two, one of the most extraordinary games of the season? The Foxes came from behind to win a goal-fest 5-3. It was a bit of a bolt from the blue, because since then Leicester have slumped right back into the relegation mire, and they must be acutely aware that the Red Devils will be smarting for thorough revenge at Old Trafford. Most of our forecasters see United doing the business fairly comfortably, but seeing as the last clash was full of onion-bag activity, I’m taking the way more conservative approach for the follow-up... just 1-0!
Rob: Manchester United 1 Leicester 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-0
Wade: 3-1
Tashreeq: 3-0
Maano: 2-0
Last season: Not applicable
THE DESPERATE DUEL
HULL v NEWCASTLE
Saturday, 14:45
Some time between Christmas and New Year, I got just enough cell reception on my sister and brother-in-law’s free-range chicken farm near Harkerville to learn that the Toon had seen off Everton 3-2, and my world seemed wonderful. (Perhaps less so Garrin’s.) Since then, though, Newcastle have earned a mere one point from nine to rather dim my optimism, so there’s some desperation about their visit down the east coast to Hull and John Carver still seeking a first victory as caretaker manager. The home team are under pressure too, given their presence in the drop zone at 18th. The black-and-whites took this game 4-1 last season, when then-boss Alan Pardew had his infamous head-butt incident, but I can’t bring myself to envisage all three points this time and am not alone...
Rob: Hull 1 Newcastle 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-0
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: 1-4
THE OTHERS
CRYSTAL PALACE v EVERTON
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Crystal Palace 1 Everton 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 1-2
Wade: 1-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 0-0
LIVERPOOL v WEST HAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Liverpool 1 West Ham 1
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 3-1
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 4-1
STOKE v QPR
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Stoke 2 QPR 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-0
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-1
Maano: 1-1
Last season: Not applicable
SUNDERLAND v BURNLEY
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: Sunderland 1 Burnley 0
Garrin: 2-1
Herman: 1-1
Earl: 0-0
Wade: 2-1
Tashreeq: 1-0
Maano: 2-1
Last season: Not applicable
WEST BROM v TOTTENHAM
Saturday, 17:00
Rob: West Brom 2 Tottenham 1
Garrin: 1-1
Herman: 1-2
Earl: 2-2
Wade: 1-2
Tashreeq: 0-1
Maano: 0-1
Last season: 3-3
ARSENAL v ASTON VILLA
Sunday, 15:30
Rob: Arsenal 2 Aston Villa 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 3-1
Earl: 2-0
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 2-1
Last season: 1-3
SOUTHAMPTON v SWANSEA
Sunday, 18:00
Rob: Southampton 2 Swansea 0
Garrin: 2-0
Herman: 2-1
Earl: 2-1
Wade: 2-0
Tashreeq: 2-1
Maano: 1-0
Last season: 2-0
*LEADERBOARD
175 - Wade (5 points in last round)
170 - Garrin (7)
167 - Herman (5)
152 - Rob (7)
151 - Tashreeq (12)
150 - Earl (8)
131 - Maano (11)