Premier League predictions: Lawro v Wolf Alice bassist Theo Ellis
- Published
With three defeats in their past four Premier League games, December has been a bleak month so far for Manchester City - but can the champions end 2018 on a high?
Pep Guardiola's side travel to Southampton on Sunday and BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson says: "This is actually a good game for City because in a strange way they will be glad if Saints go for it against them.
"That is the way that Saints have been playing under new boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, and I think an open game is exactly what City need at the moment."
Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.
This week's guest is Theo Ellis, bassist in 2018 Mercury Prize-winning indie band Wolf Alice and an Arsenal fan.
Wolf Alice bassist predicts big win for Arsenal over Liverpool
"I've been an Arsenal fan since I was born," Ellis told BBC Sport. "I was a season ticket holder with my dad when I was younger - including the season when we were The Invincibles.
"So I probably had the best introduction to football, watching the best team at that time. It was pretty amazing to me when I was a kid.
"From my generation of Arsenal fans, I think everyone's hero was Thierry Henry. He was so unbelievably cool and unbelievably good. That solo goal he scored against Tottenham in 2002 was one of the greatest moments in Arsenal's history."
Bassist Theo Ellis recalled the band's first ever label meeting in their acceptance speech
It has been a while since the Gunners have been as successful as they were when Henry was in his pomp, but Ellis thinks more good times could be just around the corner.
"I am just really excited being an Arsenal fan at the moment," Ellis added. "I really like Unai Emery as a manager.
"I want to finish in the top four this season. I pray that we do, I believe that we can - and I hope that Tottenham don't make it.
"I also hope to get on Arsenal Fan TV, external somehow - I love what they do and I love any channel that has been started by the fans. Troopz is my favourite pundit ever.
"A trophy would be nice, of course, but for me this season is definitely about getting in that top four.
"I fancy our chances in the Europa League but I would just like to see us playing consistent football week in and week out, and getting good results because it has been hard work being an Arsenal fan for the past few years."
Premier League predictions - week 20 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Result | Lawro | Theo | |
SATURDAY | |||
Brighton v Everton | 1-0 | 1-2 | 1-3 |
Fulham v Huddersfield | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1-2 |
Leicester v Cardiff | 0-1 | 2-0 | 3-1 |
Tottenham v Wolves | 1-3 | 2-0 | 1-2 |
Watford v Newcastle | 1-1 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
Liverpool v Arsenal | 5-1 | 2-0 | 0-10 |
SUNDAY | |||
Crystal Palace v Chelsea | 0-1 | 0-2 | 2-2 |
Burnley v West Ham | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1-5 |
Southampton v Man City | 1-3 | 0-3 | 3-0 |
Man Utd v Bournemouth | x-x | 2-0 | 0-5 |
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
Brighton 1-0 Everton
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Theo's prediction: Theo Walcott is going to get a hat-trick. 1-3
Fulham 1-0 Huddersfield
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Theo's prediction: Arsenal had a really hard game against Huddersfield earlier in December. I think they will win this one. 1-2
Tottenham 1-3 Wolves
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Theo's prediction: I think this will be a really good game. Wolves have been great this season and I really like Nuno Espirito Santo a lot as a manager. I hope this will be a Wolves win - it probably won't, but I am going with them anyway. 1-2
Liverpool 5-1 Arsenal
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Theo's prediction: An away game at Anfield is so hard but this is definitely going to be a 10-0 Arsenal win. It won't be an easy one, though.
SUNDAY
Burnley 2-0 West Ham
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Theo's prediction: West Ham should win this, looking at the way Burnley have been playing. 1-5
Southampton 1-3 Man City
Lawro's prediction: 0-3
Theo's prediction: This will be snowed off unfortunately... when it does happen, Danny Ings is going to get a hat-trick, and City are going to lose 3-0.
How did Lawro do last time?
From the last set of Premier League games on 26 & 27 December, Lawro got five correct results, including two perfect scores, from 10 matches, for a total of 110 points.
He beat James bassist Jim Glennie, who got six correct results, with one exact score, for a total of 90 points.
Total scores after week 19 | |
|---|---|
Lawro | 1,640 |
Guests | 1,510 |
Lawro v Guests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
P19 | W9 | D2 | L8 |
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEAM | P | W | D | L | PTS | +/- | |
1 | Man City | 19 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 53 | +2 |
2 | Man Utd | 19 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 51 | +4 |
3 | Liverpool | 19 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 43 | -2 |
4 | Tottenham | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 39 | -2 |
5 | Chelsea | 19 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 37 | -1 |
6 | Leicester | 19 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 31 | +1 |
7 | Arsenal | 19 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 30 | -2 |
8 | Newcastle | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 29 | +7 |
9 | Everton | 19 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 28 | -1 |
10 | Fulham | 19 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 24 | +9 |
11 | Crystal Palace | 19 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 23 | +3 |
12 | Bournemouth | 19 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 0 |
13 | Burnley | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 20 | +5 |
14 | Watford | 19 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 19 | -4 |
=15 | West Ham | 19 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 18 | -6 |
=15 | Wolves | 19 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 18 | -4 |
17 | Southampton | 19 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 17 | -1 |
=18 | Brighton | 19 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 11 | -5 |
=18 | Cardiff | 19 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 11 | -1 |
20 | Huddersfield | 19 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 0 |
GUEST LEADERBOARD 2018-19
SCORE | GUEST LEADERBOARD |
|---|---|
160 | David Ginola |
140 | The 1975's Ross MacDonald |
120 | Joe Thomas |
90 | Jim Glennie, Karl Pilkington, Chris Stark |
86 | Lawro (average after 19 weeks) |
80 | Richard Ashcroft, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg James, Mark Wahlberg |
60 | Idris Elba, Dolph Lundgren, Mumford & Sons, Dillian Whyte |
50 | Bring Me The Horizon, Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre. |
40 | Tom Grennan, Josh Warrington |
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)