Premier League predictions: Lawro v world champion boxer Josh Warrington
- Published
Leaders Manchester City might have been knocked off the top of the table by the time they play Chelsea at tea-time on Saturday in the pick of the weekend fixtures.
But BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson thinks they will get a win at Stamford Bridge that will put them back on the Premier League summit.
"Chelsea have lost their past two away games, at Tottenham and Wolves, and there are one or two cracks starting to appear," Lawro explained.
"Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has changed his team around for their past two matches without affecting their results, but they will definitely be at full strength for this game."
Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.
This week's guest is boxer Josh Warrington, the IBF world featherweight champion.
Josh Warrington: IBF world featherweight champion and Leeds fan predicts the scores
Warrington is a Leeds United fan - and chairman of their supporters club - who became the first male boxer from his home city to win a world crown when he beat Lee Selby at Elland Road in May.
That fight and the years leading up to it are documented in a new film 'Josh Warrington: Fighting For A City'.
He defends his title against Carl Frampton in Manchester on 22 December, but has been keeping a close eye on how Marcelo Bielsa's side are doing in the race for promotion from the Championship.
"He has brought a good buzz back to Elland Road," Warrington told BBC Sport. "We have been entertaining to watch and it is a good place to be at the moment.
"Whatever has happened in games, even if we are behind in stoppage time at the end of the game, there is still a belief that we can win.
Warrington was joined by former Leeds captain Lucas Radebe - one of his heroes - for his ringwalk before his win over Selby
"The one thing with Leeds fans is that they always want to see the team just have a go and it seems he has changed the mentality of all the players, and he is bringing the best out of them.
"Will we go up? Well, I always said that when I won a world title, Leeds would get promoted the same season. We are flying high at the moment, and I have already won the world title so let's hope this is our year."
Premier League predictions - week 15 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Result | Lawro | Josh | |
SATURDAY | |||
Bournemouth v Liverpool | 0-4 | 0-2 | 0-2 |
Arsenal v Huddersfield | 1-0 | 3-0 | 5-0 |
Burnley v Brighton | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2-1 |
Cardiff v Southampton | 1-0 | 2-1 | 1-3 |
Man Utd v Fulham | 4-1 | 2-0 | 0-7 |
West Ham v Crystal Palace | 3-2 | 2-0 | 1-0 |
Chelsea v Man City | 2-0 | 0-2 | 1-3 |
Leicester v Tottenham | 0-2 | 0-2 | 1-1 |
SUNDAY | |||
Newcastle v Wolves | x-x | 1-1 | 2-2 |
MONDAY | |||
Everton v Watford | x-x | 2-0 | 2-1 |
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS
All kick-offs 15:00 GMT unless stated.
SATURDAY
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Josh's prediction: Liverpool are flying high and their fans will be believing this is their year. Bournemouth are tricky customers but I am going for Liverpool here. 0-2
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Josh's prediction: I can see a battering here - with Arsenal toying with the Terriers. Huddersfield have kind of called us a rival over the last couple of years whenever they have got promoted but they are not doing too clever this season - I think their luck has run out. 5-0
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Josh's prediction: I am a big fan of Dyche's character, and I am going for Burnley to win at home. 2-1
Cardiff 1-0 Southampton
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Josh's prediction: I can see the Saints getting a win over the Welsh boys. 1-3
Man Utd 4-1 Fulham
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Josh's prediction: United are not doing too clever are they? The wheels are maybe falling off so I am backing Fulham, with a new manager in Claudio Ranieri, to leave with the points. 0-7
My manager is a United fan and I often check the scores or watch Match of the Day then phone him up to give him some stick. It has been quite sweet to see United struggling but I am hoping next season is the start of Leeds playing them again as a regular fixture.
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Josh's prediction: This is a tough one to call. The Hammers are a bit unpredictable at the minute but I think they will get a positive result this week. 1-0
Chelsea 2-0 Man City
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Josh's prediction: City boss Pep Guardiola has got his boys flying again and they are looking very strong. 1-3
Leicester 0-2 Tottenham
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Josh's prediction: I know Tottenham will be pushing them hard but they always seem to slip up every now and again. Leicester at home, with the crowd behind them, can get something out of this game - and I have a feeling it will be through something late, and something controversial. 1-1
SUNDAY
Newcastle 1-2 Wolves
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Josh's prediction: Wolves were dynamite last season in the Championship and they have played some entertaining football so far up in Premier League. Newcastle are another inconsistent team so I am going for another draw here. 2-2
MONDAY
Everton 2-2 Watford
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Josh's prediction: Sorry Troy Deeney, I am going for Everton here. 2-1
How did Lawro do last time?
From the midweek Premier League games, Lawro got six correct results, including one perfect score from 10 matches, for a total of 90 points.
He was beaten by The 1975 bassist Ross MacDonald, who got eight correct results, including two exact scores, for a total of 140 points that sends him to the top of the guest leaderboard.
Total scores after week 15 | |
|---|---|
Lawro | 1,260 |
Guests | 1,160 |
Lawro v Guests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
P15 | W6 | D2 | L7 |
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEAM | P | W | D | L | PTS | +/- | |
=1 | Man City | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
=1 | Man Utd | 15 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 41 | +7 |
3 | Liverpool | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 33 | -1 |
4 | Leicester | 15 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 30 | +5 |
5 | Tottenham | 15 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 29 | -2 |
6 | Chelsea | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 28 | -2 |
7 | Everton | 15 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 24 | -1 |
8 | Newcastle | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 22 | +6 |
9 | Arsenal | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 20 | -4 |
=10 | Bournemouth | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 19 | -3 |
=10 | Crystal Palace | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 19 | +5 |
12 | Fulham | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 18 | +8 |
13 | West Ham | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 15 | 0 |
=14 | Burnley | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 14 | +5 |
=14 | Wolves | 15 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 14 | -2 |
=16 | Southampton | 15 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 13 | +2 |
=16 | Watford | 15 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 13 | -5 |
18 | Brighton | 15 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 10 | -8 |
=19 | Cardiff | 15 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 8 | -3 |
=19 | Huddersfield | 15 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | -3 |
GUEST LEADERBOARD 2018-19
SCORE | GUEST LEADERBOARD |
|---|---|
140 | The 1975's Ross MacDonald |
120 | Joe Thomas |
90 | Karl Pilkington, Chris Stark |
84 | Lawro (average after 15 weeks) |
80 | Richard Ashcroft, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg James, Mark Wahlberg |
60 | Idris Elba, Dolph Lundgren, Mumford & Sons |
50 | Bring Me The Horizon, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. |
40 | Tom Grennan |
Lawro's best score: 260 points (week seven v Karl Pilkington)
Lawro's worst score: 40 points (week three v Idris Elba, week eight v Chris Stark and week 12 v Mumford & Sons)