Lawro's Premier League predictions v Radio 1 DJ Melvin Odoom
- Published
Manchester City know they will retain their Premier League title if they win their final three games of the season and their next test sees them travel to Turf Moor on Sunday.
Can City beat Burnley and make it 12 league wins on the spin? BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson feels their mentality will get them through.
"The thing with City is that they are just absolutely zoned in," he explained. "I was at Old Trafford on Wednesday and you saw them just turn the switch on in the second half, and that is how the top teams get results.
"I am at Turf Moor on Sunday which will be the third time I have watched them in a week, and I am expecting to see them get another victory."
Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.
This week he is up against Radio 1 DJ Melvin Odoom, who admits he is not exactly an expert compared to his co-hosts on the late night show, Charlie Hedges and Rickie Williams.
"We just love to take the mickey out of him because he knows nothing about football," explains Rickie.
"Melvin has no football knowledge, but he is very lucky, so he might do better with his predictions than he thinks," said Charlie.
Melvin is definitely taking his task seriously, though.
He added: "I know it is a big deal because every time I look into Rickie's eyes, I see fire burning.
"It is like if I get it wrong, it is a really bad thing, but I think I have got the skills to beat Lawro at the very least."
'If I've heard of the team, they'll win' - Melvin, Rickie & Charlie's PL Predictions
Melvin says he supports two teams - Tottenham and Ghana - but admits he is is not much of a footballer himself.
"I didn't really play at school," he said. "But I was very good at kiss-chase and hopscotch. I never used to get picked for football teams, which is probably why I was never really into it.
"I am a Spurs fan because of my dad. Harry Kane is my favourite player and it is such a shame he is out at the moment."
You can listen to Melvin, Charlie and Rickie on the late night show on Radio 1, Monday to Thursday, from 9pm to 11pm.
Premier League predictions - week 36 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Result | Lawro | Melvin | |
FRIDAY | |||
Liverpool v Huddersfield | 5-0 | 4-0 | 2-0 |
SATURDAY | |||
Tottenham v West Ham | 0-1 | 2-1 | 2-1 |
Crystal Palace v Everton | 0-0 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
Fulham v Cardiff | 1-0 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
Southampton v Bournemouth | 3-3 | 2-0 | 1-1 |
Watford v Wolves | 1-2 | 0-2 | 1-2 |
Brighton v Newcastle | 1-1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
SUNDAY | |||
Leicester v Arsenal | 3-0 | 1-1 | 0-2 |
Burnley v Man City | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0-3 |
Man Utd v Chelsea | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-2 |
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 0-1 West Ham
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Melvin's prediction: This is my team against Charlie's team. I am going to go for Tottenham to win. 2-1
Charlie: Any reason why?
Melvin: Is Harry Kane allowed to play this one?
Rickie: I think he is still injured, but you have got Son Heung-min.
Melvin: Is Dele Alli playing? Yes? Then definitely 2-1. He has got a lovely clothing line as well.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton
Lawro's prediction: 1-2
Melvin: Oooh, this is a very tough one for me.
Charlie: Because you know nothing about either of them?
Rickie: They are both in good form at the moment, coming in off the back of wins.
Melvin: Really? So you like both teams?
Rickie: I think it probably going to be a draw.
Charlie: Remember what they said, to go low.
Melvin's prediction: Okay, so were are going to go 0-0.
Charlie: Not that low!
Fulham 1-0 Cardiff
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Melvin: This is an easy one, 1-0 to Fulham.
Charlie: Haven't Fulham been relegated?
Rickie: Yes, and Cardiff are fighting for their lives, so they will potentially try harder than Fulham.
Melvin: Okay, with those facts I am going 1-0 to Cardiff.
Charlie: I think you should stick with what you said originally.
Melvin's prediction: Okay, 1-0 to Fulham... but I feel there is a lot of pressure on me from both sides, and I can't really make up my mind, so 1-1.
Watford 1-2 Wolves
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Melvin's prediction: The Wolves sound very scary. 1-2
Brighton 1-1 Newcastle
Lawro's prediction: 1-0
Rickie: Notoriously this season, both teams don't score many goals, they are quite pragmatic teams.
Melvin's prediction: All right then, 1-0 to Newcastle.
Charlie: Watch it be 5-0 now!
SUNDAY
Leicester 3-0 Arsenal
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Melvin's prediction: Arsenal are a massive team but have Leicester still got thingy still, that guy who scored all the goals?
Rickie: Yes, they have still got Jamie Vardy, who is scoring goals, and they have got a new manager, Brendan Rodgers, who is doing really well.
Melvin: OK... but Arsenal are a big team. I am going to say 2-0 to Arsenal.
Burnley 0-1 Man City
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Melvin's prediction: Man City have got this one. It's going to be 3-0 to City.
Man Utd 1-1 Chelsea
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Melvin's prediction: This is a very difficult game. 2-2
Charlie: Interesting. I am really proud of you, Mel.
Melvin: I didn't want to give silly predictions. I wanted to take it seriously and see how many I could get correct.
Charlie: Are you going to beat Lawro, though?
Melvin: Of course I am, he's got no chance. I am amazing!
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
How did Lawro do last time?
From the four midweek games, Lawro got four correct results, including two perfect scores, for a total of 100 points.
He beat singer-songwriter Ten Tonnes, who got two correct results, including one perfect score, for a total of 50 points.
Total scores after week 35 | |
|---|---|
Lawro | 3,060 |
Guests | 2,590 |
Lawro v Guests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
P35 | W17 | D4 | L14 |
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEAM | P | W | D | L | PTS | +/- | |
1 | Man City | 35 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 99 | 0 |
=2 | Liverpool | 35 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 83 | 0 |
=2 | Man Utd | 35 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 83 | +4 |
4 | Tottenham | 35 | 20 | 11 | 4 | 71 | -1 |
5 | Chelsea | 35 | 22 | 6 | 7 | 69 | -1 |
6 | Leicester | 35 | 19 | 5 | 11 | 62 | +4 |
7 | Arsenal | 35 | 18 | 5 | 12 | 59 | -2 |
8 | Everton | 35 | 17 | 5 | 13 | 56 | +1 |
9 | Burnley | 35 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 49 | +6 |
10 | Newcastle | 35 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 46 | +3 |
11 | Wolves | 35 | 14 | 3 | 18 | 45 | -4 |
=12 | Watford | 35 | 11 | 5 | 19 | 38 | -4 |
=12 | West Ham | 35 | 11 | 5 | 19 | 38 | -1 |
14 | Bournemouth | 35 | 10 | 7 | 18 | 37 | 0 |
15 | Crystal Palace | 35 | 8 | 8 | 19 | 32 | -3 |
16 | Southampton | 35 | 9 | 4 | 22 | 31 | 0 |
=17 | Brighton | 35 | 7 | 8 | 20 | 29 | 0 |
=17 | Fulham | 35 | 8 | 5 | 22 | 29 | +2 |
19 | Huddersfield | 35 | 3 | 6 | 26 | 15 | +1 |
20 | Cardiff | 35 | 3 | 5 | 27 | 14 | -2 |
GUEST LEADERBOARD 2018-19
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 |
87 | Lawro (average after 35 weeks) |
80 | Adebayo Akinfenwa, Richard Ashcroft, Dina Asher-Smith, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Greg James, Johnny Marr, Mark Wahlberg |
70 | Matt Fitzpatrick, RED, Yungen |
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, Ten Tonnes, Dolph Ziggler |
40 | Tom Grennan, Josh Warrington, Taka |
30 | Ryan Fitzpatrick, Danny Howard, Oti Mabuse, Scott Mills |
20 | Yizzy |
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)