Lawro's Premier League predictions v golfer Matt Fitzpatrick
- Published
Sunday is a big day in the Premier League title race, with leaders Liverpool and defending champions Manchester City both in action.
City travel to Crystal Palace - who beat them at Etihad Stadium in December - before Liverpool host Chelsea, who famously helped scupper their title hopes in 2014.
BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson said: "Palace almost got the better of City at Selhurst Park last season, when Ederson saved a last-minute penalty, but I can't see them getting close to Pep Guardiola's side this time.
"I think Liverpool will win too, though.
"For starters, we don't know what kind of team Blues boss Maurizio Sarri will pick. He has become more of a 'Tinkerman' than the original - Claudio Ranieri - ever was."
The top two are both in action on the same day this weekend. Manchester City play at Crystal Palace on Sunday (14:05 BST kick-off) with Liverpool hosting Chelsea immediately afterwards (16:30)
Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.
This week he is up against golfer Matt Fitzpatrick, who is in action at the Masters, which starts on Thursday at Augusta in the United States.
"It is amazing to play at Augusta," the Englishman told BBC Sport. "It is such a special place, with the fans, the way the course is and the history that it has. It is just great to be back this year."
Fitzpatrick has a twin goal this weekend - putting on the prestigious Green Jacket presented to the Masters winner, and seeing Sheffield United beat Millwall to maintain their challenge in the Championship promotion race.
'Pressure will get to Liverpool' - Matt Fitzpatrick backs Chelsea in Premier League predictions
Fitzpatrick, 24, was a long-term season ticket holder at Bramall Lane when he was growing up but now follows the Blades from afar when he is on the tour.
"I would almost say I love football more than golf to be honest," he explained. "That's how big a fan I am.
"The good news is, with technology nowadays, it is pretty easy to follow them really. There is an app that I can log in and watch all the games.
"I am hoping we won't be in the play-offs - I want automatic promotion. If we are and we make the play-off final then I think I have got to go. I couldn't miss that opportunity to see us go up."
2019 Masters on the BBC |
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Dates: 11-14 April Venue: Augusta National |
Coverage: Watch highlights of the first two days before uninterrupted live coverage of the final rounds on BBC Two, with up to four live streams online. Live radio and text commentary of all four days on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra, BBC Sport website and mobile app. Full details |
Premier League predictions - week 34 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Result | Lawro | Matt | |
FRIDAY | |||
Leicester v Newcastle | 0-1 | 2-0 | 0-1 |
SATURDAY | |||
Tottenham v Huddersfield | 4-0 | 3-0 | 3-0 |
Brighton v Bournemouth | 0-5 | 2-0 | 2-1 |
Burnley v Cardiff | 2-0 | 2-0 | 0-2 |
Fulham v Everton | 2-0 | 0-2 | 0-3 |
Southampton v Wolves | 3-1 | 1-0 | 1-3 |
Man Utd v West Ham | x-x | 2-0 | 2-0 |
SUNDAY | |||
Crystal Palace v Man City | 1-3 | 0-3 | 0-3 |
Liverpool v Chelsea | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1-2 |
MONDAY | |||
Watford v Arsenal | x-x | 1-2 | 1-0 |
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 BST unless stated.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Tottenham 4-0 Huddersfield
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Matt's prediction: Tottenham had a great win midweek against City. Harry Kane's injury is not going to help them but they are playing some great stuff. 3-0
Brighton 0-5 Bournemouth
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Matt's prediction: Bournemouth are not on the best run so I am going to go with Brighton. 2-1
Burnley 2-0 Cardiff
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Matt's prediction: Cardiff really need to win. It is going to be close but I think they can do it. 0-2
SUNDAY
Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea
I think Liverpool will win this whether Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri picks his best team or not.
I was at Tuesday's win over Porto in the Champions League and the Reds should have won by more than two goals, but I always felt they could have raised their game at any time.
They have had a decent rest since Tuesday night and I don't think they were overstretched in midweek anyhow.
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Matt's prediction: 1-2
MONDAY
Watford v Arsenal (20:00 BST)
Arsenal are away again - and surely they cannot be any worse than they were at Everton last weekend?
I actually think the Gunners will win this one, although that has nothing to do with their form - they have only beaten bottom side Huddersfield on the road since the end of November.
It is more to do with the fact I don't think we will see quite the same intensity from Watford with the FA Cup final only a few weeks away.
That is going to be a special day for lots of their players and it would be understandable if they were distracted by it. If it takes 5% off the team's performance on Monday, then that is all Arsenal would need to take advantage.
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Matt's prediction: 1-0
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
How did Lawro do last time?
From last weekend's Premier League games, Lawro got four correct results and one perfect score from six games, for a total of 70 points.
He beat Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, who got three correct results and no perfect scores, for a total of 30 points.
With the help of his co-host, Watford fan Chris Stark, Mills did correctly pick the outcome of both FA Cup semi-finals. Lawro correctly backed Manchester City to go through to the final, but their scores from those games to do not count towards the leaderboards below.
Total scores after week 33 | |
|---|---|
Lawro | 2,770 |
Guests | 2,400 |
Lawro v Guests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
P33 | W16 | D4 | L13 |
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEAM | P | W | D | L | PTS | +/- | |
1 | Man City | 32 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 90 | +1 |
=2 | Liverpool | 33 | 22 | 11 | 0 | 77 | -1 |
=2 | Man Utd | 32 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 77 | +4 |
4 | Chelsea | 33 | 21 | 6 | 6 | 69 | -1 |
5 | Tottenham | 32 | 18 | 11 | 3 | 65 | -1 |
6 | Leicester | 33 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 59 | +1 |
=7 | Arsenal | 32 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 53 | -2 |
=7 | Everton | 33 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 53 | +2 |
9 | Burnley | 33 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 46 | +5 |
10 | Newcastle | 33 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 43 | +5 |
11 | Wolves | 32 | 12 | 3 | 17 | 39 | -3 |
12 | Watford | 32 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 36 | -2 |
13 | West Ham | 33 | 10 | 5 | 18 | 35 | -2 |
14 | Bournemouth | 33 | 9 | 7 | 17 | 34 | -1 |
15 | Crystal Palace | 33 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 32 | -3 |
16 | Fulham | 33 | 8 | 5 | 20 | 29 | +3 |
17 | Southampton | 32 | 8 | 3 | 21 | 27 | 0 |
18 | Brighton | 31 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 23 | -2 |
19 | Cardiff | 32 | 3 | 5 | 24 | 14 | -1 |
20 | Huddersfield | 33 | 3 | 5 | 25 | 14 | 0 |
GUEST LEADERBOARD 218-19
SCORE | GUEST LEADERBOARD |
|---|---|
160 | David Ginola |
140 | The 1975's Ross MacDonald |
120 | Joe Thomas |
110 | Tom Kerridge, Yatez |
90 | Jim Glennie, Mario Hezonja, Karl Pilkington, Chris Stark |
84 | Lawro (average after 33 weeks) |
80 | Adebayo Akinfenwa, Richard Ashcroft, Dina Asher-Smith, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg James, Johnny Marr*, Mark Wahlberg |
70 | Yumgen |
60 | Jamie Dornan & Paul Conroy, Idris Elba, Tom McFarland, Dolph Lundgren, Mumford & Sons, Dillian Whyte |
50 | Bring Me The Horizon, Theo Ellis, Drew McIntyre, Mohamed Sanu, Dolph Ziggler |
40 | Tom Grennan, Josh Warrington, Taka |
30 | Ryan Fitzpatrick, Danny Howard*, Oti Mabuse, Scot Mills |
20 | Yizzy |
*Score will be updated when full programme of games are completed
Lawro's best score: 260 points (week seven v Karl Pilkington)
Lawro's worst score: 20 points (week 24 v Grime star Yizzy, week 25 v Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarter-back Ryan Fitzpatrick and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, and week 31 against Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard)