Premier League & Club World Cup predictions: Lawro v Serge from Kasabian
- Published
Premier League leaders Liverpool are in Qatar this weekend but which of their title rivals will narrow the gap when Manchester City host Leicester on Saturday?
"This is a game that could define both sides' season," said BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson.
"If you are a Manchester City player and looking at the table, then Leicester are clearly a team who could potentially finish above them this season.
"The defending champions will be fired up to show everyone they are better than that. For Leicester, it is chance to prove otherwise - but I am expecting the home side to win."
At the same time City play the Foxes, Liverpool face Brazilian side Flamengo in Doha in the Club World Cup final.
"It will be tight but I am backing the Reds because they have become completely clinical," added Lawro.
"People are still saying they are not playing very well but they carry on winning - what more do you want?"
Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.
This week he is up against Serge Pizzorno, from indie rock band Kasabian.
Serge (left) and bandmate Tom Meighan are both Foxes fans - the band played at the club's title-winning parade in 2016, and had a gig at King Power Stadium that summer
Serge is a lifelong Leicester supporter and it is no surprise to learn which moment he picks out as his greatest as a fan.
He told BBC Sport: "When we beat Derby 2-1 in the play-offs and Steve Walsh scored a couple [in the Championship final in 1994], that was a special day.
"But obviously the year when we won the Premier League is hard to top. That whole season is my favourite memory."
Leicester are flying high in the table again and winning plenty of plaudits but Serge is not convinced by claims that their current side is a better team than the title-winners.
He explained: "Is this team better? It is close.
"You know what? Talent-wise, it probably is a little better but what we had in 2016 was spirit and whatever that magic combination was.
"Whether the current team have got that same magic, we will find out."
Premier League predictions - week 18 (and Club World Cup final) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Result | Lawro | Serge | |
SATURDAY | |||
Everton v Arsenal | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 |
Aston Villa v Southampton | 1-3 | 2-0 | 3-3 |
Bournemouth v Burnley | 0-1 | 2-1 | 1-2 |
Brighton v Sheff Utd | 0-1 | 2-1 | 1-1 |
Newcastle v Crystal Palace | 1-0 | 2-0 | 1-0 |
Norwich v Wolves | 1-2 | 1-1 | 1-1 |
Man City v Leicester | 3-1 | 2-0 | 0-1 |
Liverpool v Flamengo (Club World Cup final) | 1-0 aet | 1-0 aet | * |
SUNDAY | |||
Watford v Man Utd | 2-0 | 2-1 | 3-1 |
Tottenham v Chelsea | 0-2 | 2-0 | 2-1 |
*Serge made a 1-1 prediction for West Ham v Liverpool instead - the game the Reds would have played if they were not in Qatar. This game will not count towards Lawro's total.
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
Everton 0-0 Arsenal
Aston Villa 1-3 Southampton
Bournemouth 0-1 Burnley
Lawro's prediction: 2-1
Serge's prediction: I'm going for Burnley here, because Sean Dyche is my boy. 1-2
Brighton 0-1 Sheff Utd
Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace
Norwich 1-2 Wolves
Manchester City 3-1 Leicester (17:30)
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Serge's prediction: Let's be honest - I am a dreamer, but I just have a feeling James Maddison is going to nick it with a little free-kick, and then the league will be on again. I have got a fair few brothers who are big Manchester City fans so they are going to be watching this and throwing things at the telly. 0-1
Liverpool 1-0 Flamengo - final of the Club World Cup (17:30)
Highlights: Monterrey 1-2 Liverpool
Lawro's prediction: 1-0 after extra time
SUNDAY
Watford 2-0 Man Utd
Tottenham 0-2 Chelsea
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Serge's prediction: 2-1
Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
How did Lawro do last week?
Last weekend, Lawro got five correct results with no exact scores from 10 matches, for a total of 50 points.
He lost to comedian and author David Baddiel, who got four correct results, but with one exact score, for a total of 70 points.
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEAM | P | W | D | L | PTS | +/- | |
1 | Man City | 17 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 48 | +2 |
2 | Liverpool | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 47 | -1 |
3 | Tottenham | 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 40 | +2 |
4 | Chelsea | 17 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 39 | 0 |
=5 | Arsenal | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 31 | +5 |
=5 | Leicester | 17 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 31 | -3 |
7 | Man Utd | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 29 | -1 |
8 | Burnley | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 | +4 |
9 | West Ham | 17 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 20 | +6 |
=10 | Aston Villa | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 19 | +7 |
=10 | Everton | 17 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 19 | +6 |
=10 | Wolves | 17 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 19 | -2 |
13 | Watford | 17 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 18 | +7 |
14 | Bournemouth | 17 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 17 | 0 |
15 | Newcastle | 17 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 16 | -4 |
16 | Southampton | 17 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 15 | +2 |
=17 | Brighton | 17 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 14 | -4 |
=17 | Crystal Palace | 17 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 14 | -8 |
=17 | Sheff Utd | 17 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 14 | -10 |
20 | Norwich | 17 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 6 | -1 |
GUEST LEADERBOARD 2019-20
Score | Guest leaderboard |
|---|---|
160 | Gabriel Luna |
140 | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
100 | Adam Peaty |
90 | Helen Housby, Jo Harten, Bobby Seagull, Geraint Thomas |
84 | Lawro (average after 17 weeks) |
80 | Andy Murray, Stephen Graham |
70 | David Baddiel, Michael Johnson, Craig Mitch, Alex Scott |
60 | Sonny Bill Williams, Stefan Ratchford |
50 | Chelcee Grimes, Reece Parkinson, Sam Warburton |
40 | Stephen Fry, Neil Jones, Tommy O'Dell |
30 | Seth Rollins |
Total scores after week 17 | |
|---|---|
Lawro | 1,430 |
Guests | 1,250 |
Lawro v Guests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
P17 | W13 | D1 | L3 |