Roker Riches: Our Tipsters Get Their Teeth Into The Tyne/Wear Derby

Week Thirty-Two Recap

A steady, if unimpressive return given recent results, as myself and Luke ahead a couple of quid to our tallies with Luke correctly calling both teams to score and my own over 2.5 goals bet coming home. Not a great weekend for the rest of the lads with some heavy losses.

Luke still holding a commanding lead at present which will take some superb tipping to overhaul at this stage of the season surely.

Karl Jones

I don't want to over complicate things on this game. A straight-forward, no-nonsense away win, seeing as the game itself will be anything but - Sunderland to win.

Elsewhere, we'll do it Countdown style and take one from the second tier, one from the lower leagues and two from abroad: Cardiff City aren't quite making the pigs' ear they normally do at this time of the year, but they are stuttering over the finish line rather than bursting through it. Billy Davies' men are unbeaten in 10, and a well-priced to extend that run this weekend.

In League Two, Port Vale may have stuttered in midweek but their strength is in numbers - Tom Pope and Lee Hughes have 40 goals between them alone and should be too much for mid-table Rochdale.

Roma salvaged a draw against Lazio last time out and have a shaky recent record on the road - winning just one of four. Despite that, a win is needed against Torino to maintain their top four push. Finally, in Ligue 2, promotion-chasing Angers have the second best away record and face Chamois, who have won just 4/15 at home.

• Sunderland to beat Newcastle - 7/2 £10 Stake
• Nottingham Forest to beat Cardiff City (double chance), Port Vale to beat Rochdale, Roma to beat Torino, Angers to beat Chamois - 26.08 - £5 Stake

David Boyle

Not wanting to jinx anything by trying to predict the result from Sunday's game I went in search of some value from the bookmakers. With Newcastle's midfield destroyer Chiek Tiote set for a return to action this weekend you can get 2/1 for the Ivorian to receive a card, which given the nature of the game and his past record looks to be a great shout.

Elsewhere I am going to go for Southampton to carry on their impressive recent record and back the saints to get the better of West Ham.

My biggest set of bets yet this term but given Luke's huge lead at the top of the table needs must if I am to catch up.

• Chiek Tiote to receive a card - 2/1 - £15 Stake
• Southampton to beat West Ham - 10/11 - £5 Stake

Simon Walsh

Thankfully derby games are quite unpredictable, so I'm hoping someone goes in big and loses big so I can claw back what little reputation I have. Then again, it is a very unpredictable game, so my stab in the dark is as good as yours. Something I think we can count on is it being a spicy encounter, so 23/4 on there being a red card in the game looks appealing.

Elsewhere around football, because apparently that's happening this weekend too, I'm going for an acca on Wigan, Barnsley and Bournemouth. It won't win, so don't bother.

• A red card in the Tyne-Wear derby - 23/4 - £16 Stake
• Wigan, Barnsley & Bournemouth all to win - 8/1 - £4 Stake

Luke Bowley

Paolo Di Canio thrust Connor Wickham into the action against Chelsea, and that will not doubt have given a lot of confidence to a youngster who hasn't really been given a fair chance this season. I'm backing him to get a goal in this one, and to repay his new manager's faith in him.

Elsewhere I'm continuing eith my usual (and, might I add, effective) habit of going for a no-nonsense single. This week I taking Siena to travel to lowly Pescara and get a crucial win in their big to avoid the drop.

• Connor Wickham to score anytime - 14/5 - £5 stake
• Siena to beat Pescara - 11/10 - £5 stake