Premier League predictions: Lawro v grime MC and Liverpool fan Big Zuu

Manchester City will give new Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honour before Thursday's game at an empty Etihad Stadium, but who will prevail on the pitch?

"I am sure the Liverpool players will have been partying," said BBC football expert and former Reds defender Mark Lawrenson. "And, since the season started in August, they have been geared up to take the title off City, so will they have the same edge now they have done it?

"I know Jurgen Klopp is as driven as City boss Pep Guardiola in terms of their players maintaining their performance levels, especially against a team as good as City, but even being 5% off will make all the difference in a game like this."

City's defeat at Chelsea on Thursday night meant their two-year reign as Premier League champions is over before Liverpool come to Etihad Stadium this week

Lawro is making predictions for all 380 top-flight matches this season, against a variety of guests.

This week he is up against grime MC and Radio 1 Xtra DJ Big Zuu, who is a Liverpool fan.

Big Zuu, whose new track, 'Move Right', is out now, has also recorded a new freestyle rap celebrating the Reds' success.

He told BBC Sport: "Because of lockdown I have just been celebrating at home, talking to all my friends and family that support Liverpool - just buzzing really.

"But I have made a freestyle for BBC Sport about us winning the league as well (you can watch it below). I did one last season when we eventually just missed out - but this time we did it. I have just been kind of planning for when this new one will come out.

"Jordan Henderson messaged me on Friday morning, saying he wants to hear the freestyle, so everyone is just getting a bit excited about it all at the moment!"

Big Zuu puts Liverpool's long-awaited success down to their strength from front to back - and the right attitude too.

"The quality across the squad is top tier," he added. "I also think the fact there is no egos there either is important too.

"I think the addition of Virgil van Dijk at the start of 2018 was the best signing the club has ever made. He was exactly what we needed in our defence and he completely changed the complexion of the whole club.

"I remember the first game he played for us, against Everton in the FA Cup. I was at it, luckily enough. I was in the Kop when he scored the winner in front of us.

"You could just feel it then - the energy that he brought to the team. And just watching him command the back line in that game, you could already feel like he had such a presence.

"When we signed Alisson from Roma that summer, and got it right in goal too, then I think it was over from there. We have always had quality up front - we had Fernando Torres, we had Luis Suarez - when we fell fell short in the league before, but that is not enough on its own."

Is this title the start of a spell of Liverpool dominance? Big Zuu hopes so but he is not convinced. "I think we are away from those times when teams could win three in a row like Manchester United did. I obviously hope we can go on to win it again and again but you can never count out City, because if they sort out their defence they still have one of the best attacks there is. And Chelsea and United both look like they will make it harder for us next year too."

Liverpool's title was confirmed when City lost at Chelsea last week and Big Zuu definitely enjoyed the moment.

He explained: "Kevin de Bruyne scored one of the best goals of the season to equalise for City in that game - I have not seen a free-kick hit like that. He hit it and it went into the sky then somehow dipped under the bar.

"That just shows his quality, especially because they were trying to keep hold of their title a bit longer, but Chelsea got the breaks and when that Willian penalty went in then everyone was buzzing.

"Seeing the video of the Liverpool players celebrating together afterwards was just amazing."

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS

TUESDAY

Brighton 0-3 Man Utd

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Big Zuu's prediction: 1-3

Match report

WEDNESDAY

Arsenal 4-0 Norwich

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

Big Zuu's prediction: 3-1

Match report

Bournemouth 1-4 Newcastle

Lawro's prediction: 0-0

Big Zuu's prediction: 1-2

Match report

Everton 2-1 Leicester

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Big Zuu's prediction: 1-1

Match report

West Ham 3-2 Chelsea

Lawro's prediction: 0-1

Big Zuu's prediction: 0-2

Match report

THURSDAY

Sheff Utd 3-1 Tottenham

Lawro's prediction: 0-2

Big Zuu's prediction: Sheffield United are still fighting for a European spot but they are not in good form, and Spurs are just starting to hit their stride under Jose Mourinho. If they score one goal they will hang on to it for dear life. 0-1

Match report

Man City 4-0 Liverpool

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Big Zuu's prediction: I think it will be tight, but there will be some goals because of the quality of both attacks - there is going to be lot of really intricate passes played to try and open each other up - and both teams will go as hard as they can. 2-2

Match report

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

How did Lawro do last time?

Lawro correctly predicted the outcome of three out of the four weekend FA Cup quarter-finals but his guest, Peter Crouch Save Our Summer co-host Alex Horne, picked all four winners correctly.

Horne also made predictions of the latest round of Premier League games, which started on Saturday with Aston Villa versus Wolves and will end on Thursday with Manchester City against Liverpool. Along with Lawro and Big Zuu, he will have to wait until full-time at Etihad Stadium to find out his total score for week 32.

GUEST LEADERBOARD 2019-20