Lawro's predictions - FA Cup final special vs Arsenal Fan TV's Robbie and 1Xtra DJ A.Dot

  • Published
BBC Sport expert Mark Lawrenson

You can watch the FA Cup live on BBC One and the BBC Sport website, with coverage starting at 16:15 BST on Saturday.

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson has pitted his wits against a different guest in every round of this season's FA Cup.

For Saturday's Wembley final between London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea, Lawro is up against the four people above him on the leaderboard.

The joint leaders are 1Xtra breakfast show DJ A.Dot, external - who is backing Chelsea - and Arsenal Fan TV host Robbie Lyle, external- who thinks the Gunners will triumph.

Media caption,

Robbie, A.Dot & Adele give their FA Cup final predictions

"Now, A.Dot you are a fantastic DJ and you know your music but, when it comes to football, leave that to me," Robbie told BBC Sport.

"I am confident it will be a double celebration for me at the weekend. Arsenal lift the FA Cup trophy, and I finish top of Lawro's leaderboard."

Image source, BBC Sport

Radio One DJ Adele Roberts,, external who is on BBC Radio 1 from Monday to Friday on Early Breakfast from 4am to 6am, and Sophie Rose, from Chelsea Fan TV,, external also return to give their FA Cup final verdicts.

A.Dot and Adele are both appearing at the Radio 1 Big Weekend in Hull on Saturday and Sunday.

FA Cup final

Result

Lawro

A.Dot

Robbie

Adele

Sophie

SATURDAY

Arsenal v Chelsea

2-1

0-1

1-3

2-1

1-0

1-3

LAWRO'S FA CUP FINAL PREDICTION

Kick-off 17:30 BST

SATURDAY

Image source, BBC Sport

Lawro - 'Midfield battle holds the key'

Arsenal are running out of central defenders - Laurent Koscielny is suspended, Gabriel is injured and Shkodran Mustafi is a fitness doubt.

Per Mertesacker is available after his long-term knee injury but the 37 minutes he played after coming on as a substitute against Everton last week is the only action he has seen all season.

If Mustafi does not recover from concussion, then if Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is going to stick with playing with three at the back, he has to play Mertesacker alongside Rob Holding and Nacho Monreal.

I don't think Wenger will change things around because the rest of his team are familiar with that system.

And, it is certainly a formation that suits a centre-back who is a bit short of fitness and sharpness - and pace, because Mertesacker would have two faster men as a kind of safety net either side of him.

Media caption,

Wenger future to be revealed after cup final

True, Mertesacker, Holding and Monreal cannot have played together in that system before and, speaking from experience, communication and concentration could be an issue.

If you are not well-drilled as a defensive three then sometimes you all end up relying on someone else to pick up a player in open play, because you are thinking 'we have got an extra man here - we will be ok'.

But these issues at the back do not make things insurmountable for Arsenal. In fact, because the rest of the team are used to a 3-4-2-1, I don't see it being a massive problem at all.

The key area on Saturday for Arsenal is not their defence, or their attack - which is very strong. It is in midfield.

Chelsea will win comfortably if they take control of that area but Arsenal should not be short of numbers in there.

I think it is imperative for the Gunners that they keep the game tight and fight and scrap like they did in their semi-final against Manchester City.

Media caption,

Archive: Arsenal beat Man City 2-1 in 2017 semi-final

They are playing a team who can win the Double, which is extra special and a major achievement as everyone knows.

I did it with Liverpool in 1986, external and although I obviously celebrated it at the time when we won it, it is only really over the years that you realise it has more importance because so few teams manage it.

We know Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is absolutely driven and he will be telling his players that they have one more game this season, and they have the chance to do something that hardly any players have achieved.

Media caption,

Chelsea title win just the start - Conte

I think that is how they will be approaching the game - to complete the job - and this Chelsea team is a machine that is very difficult to stop.

Whatever the state of the game - whether they are holding on to a lead, or chasing a goal - they are ruthless.

Lawro's prediction: Arsenal 0-1 Chelsea

1Xtra's A.Dot - 'Wembley woe for Arsenal'

Image caption,

You can listen to A.Dot every weekday morning on the 1Xtra breakfast show from 7am to 10am

"I think this game is going to compound all of Arsenal's woes this season.

"Chelsea are going to nick it, and then get an extra goal at the end."

A.Dot's prediction: Arsenal 1-3 Chelsea

Robbie from Arsenal Fan TV - 'We can sneak up on them and win it'

Image source, Arsenal Fan TV
Image caption,

"It has been a really traumatic and horrible season for Arsenal in the league," says Robbie. "We don't know who our manager or owner will be next season and we don't know if our best players are going to stay, so how good would it be to have a bit of silverware to bring a bit of cheer to long-suffering Arsenal fans like myself?"

"I am going for Arsenal to win.

"Now, I can hear everyone laughing and sniggering, saying 'what is he on? What is he talking about - it's Chelsea' but this is how we are going to beat them.

"We have hit a bit of form and we have been playing well and winning games - five in a row at the end of the season, even one with 10 men on the final day.

"Chelsea are the champions but they have been having a party for the past few weeks and they are just assuming they only have to turn up on Saturday to win.

Image source, BBC Sport

"But Wembley is when Arsenal really come to the party. We have won the FA Cup 12 time and if we win it this weekend we will have won it more times than anyone else in history.

"You hear that, Chelsea fans? History. Something you don't know a lot about.

"Koscielny is out, Mustafi could be out but we can still sneak up on them and do some damage in this final, and I am convinced that Arsenal are going to win it."

Robbie's prediction: Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea

Radio One's Adele Roberts - 'My heart says Arsenal'

Image caption,

Adele Roberts will be at Radio One's Big Weekend in Hull on Saturday but will be following the final on her phone

"I can move up the leaderboard if I get this result right, so there is a lot resting on it.

"It is a huge match and a huge rivalry, so both teams are really going for it.

"Arsenal wanted more from their season, which is why I feel like they are going to throw everything at getting some silverware on Saturday. Chelsea are champions, and will want to really ram that home.

"I am going to go for the Gunners. My heart is saying I want them to win - I live near the Emirates Stadium and see their fans all the time, and love it when they are happy."

Adele's prediction: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

Sophie Rose of Chelsea Fan TV - 'Another Conte masterclass'

Image source, Sophie Rose
Image caption,

Sophie Rose of CFC Fan TV is backing Antonio Conte's side to do the double

"Yes, we are favourites - but every game you play is different. It doesn't matter who has played the better football this season.

"Arsenal have won the FA Cup twice recently and we need to be prepared for a tough game.

"Saying that, Antonio Conte will have something up his sleeve. Another masterclass I think - just like against Tottenham in the semi-final. Go on you Blues."

Sophie's prediction: Arsenal 1-3 Chelsea

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

Full FA Cup guest leaderboard 2016-17

FA Cup leaderboard after semi-finals

Correct results

(Perfect scores)

Total

Success rate

1. = A.Dot

10/16

(4)

220

34%

1. = ArsenalFan TV

5/8

(2)

110

34%

3. Adele Roberts

8/16

(3)

170

27%

4. CFC Fan TV

4/4

(0)

40

25%

5. Lawro

29/62

(7)

500

20%

6. Full Time Devils

3/4

(0)

30

19%

7. Blue Moon Rising TV

14/32

(3)

230

18%

8. Spurred On

12/32

(2)

180

14%

9. = Fulhamish

4/8

(0)

40

13%

9. = Trevor Nelson

1/2

(0)

10

13%

11. Reev

12/32

(0)

120

9%

12. Jermaine Jenas

0/2

(0)

0

0%

Lawro's Premier League predictions - the final league table

Lawro made a prediction for all 380 Premier League games this season. The final table based on all of his predictions is at the bottom of this page.

In Lawro's league table, Chelsea and Liverpool finished joint champions and, overall, he has four teams out of 20 in their correct positions, with seven more only one place out.

"Chelsea were champions, so at least I got one bit right," Lawrenson said.

"Liverpool were unbeaten but it was not planned or something I was even aware of until recently, because I don't look at that league table when I make my predictions.

"I am trying to get as many results right as I can each week, and I never give that table a moment's thought.

"But the unbeaten thing actually happens quite regularly, with other teams too. The main reason is that I don't tip the top teams to lose very often full-stop - they don't, so why would I?"

Lawro's league tables - 2012-13 to 2015-16

2015-16

Image source, BBC Sport

2014-15

Image source, BBC Sport

2013-14

Image source, BBC Sport

2012-13

Image source, BBC Sport

This season is the first time Lawro's weekly predictions have seen Liverpool go unbeaten, and also the first time they have seen the Reds win the title. His predictions correctly saw Manchester United win the title in 2013 and Manchester City in 2014.

How did Lawro do last week?

Lawro has been pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season and his opponent for the final round of fixtures was drummer Ben Thatcher from rock band Royal Blood.

Thatcher and Lawro both got seven correct results, including one perfect score, from Sunday's 10 games for a score of 100 points.

Lawro ended the season 680 points ahead of his guests, after wins in 24 out of 38 weeks, and with an average score over the season of 91 points.

Total scores after week 38

Lawro

3,440

Guests

2,760

Lawro v Guests

P38

W24

D1

L13

SCORE

GUEST LEADERBOARD

150

Elis James

130

Boris Becker, James McAvoy, Tim Vine

120

Robbie Williams

110

Michael van Gerwen

100

Joe Clarke, Osi Umenyiora, Tom from Kasabian, Royal Blood

91

Lawro (average after 38 weeks)

90

Josh Franceschi, Goldie, Amy Macdonald, Andy Murray, Colin Murray

80

David Gower, Loyle Carner, Nicole Scherzinger

70

Dave Bautista, Sam Burgess, Anthony Crolla, Athletico Mince

60

Rick Astley, Adrian Dunbar, Jermaine Jenas, Sting & son

50

Martin Kemp, Charlie Sloth, Laura Kenny

40

Ed Balls

30

Michael Bisping, Blossoms, CFC Fan TV, Full Time DEVILS, American hip-hop duo Run The Jewels, Serge from Kasabian

20

Moeen Ali, Lloyd Griffith, Charlie Nelson

10

Omid Djalili

Lawro's best score: 140 points (week 22 v James McAvoy)

Lawro's worst score: 30 points (week four v Dave Bautista)

+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION

POS

TEAM

P

W

D

L

PTS

+/-

=1

Chelsea

38

29

5

4

92

0

=1

Liverpool

38

27

11

0

92

+3

3

Man City

38

27

9

2

90

0

4

Arsenal

38

25

11

2

86

+1

5

Tottenham

38

25

10

3

85

-3

6

Man Utd

38

22

13

3

79

0

7

Leicester

38

22

6

10

72

+5

8

Everton

38

10

18

10

48

-1

9

Crystal Palace

38

11

14

13

47

+5

10

Stoke

38

11

12

15

45

+3

11

West Brom

38

11

11

16

44

-1

12

West Ham

38

9

10

19

37

-1

13

Bournemouth

38

8

11

19

35

-4

14

Sunderland

38

8

10

20

34

+6

15

Burnley

38

6

14

18

32

+1

=16

Southampton

38

6

9

23

27

-8

=16

Swansea

38

6

9

23

27

-1

=16

Watford

38

7

6

25

27

+1

19

Middlesbrough

38

4

9

25

21

0

20

Hull

38

4

5

29

17

-2

Related internet links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.