Premier League final-day predictions: Lawro v Noel Gallagher
- Published
Noel Gallagher takes on Lawro this week and will be at Etihad Stadium on Sunday to join Manchester City's title party - the bad news for Pep Guardiola is that he is not bringing his guitar.
If you've seen the video of Pep singing Don't Look Back in Anger as he celebrated winning this season's Premier League, you'll know he is a huge fan of Gallagher's music.
Guardiola is shown asking for the clip to be sent to the famous City fan, and Gallagher told BBC Sport: "Yeah, he sent me a few messages that night - let's just say he was enjoying himself.
"I was impressed that he can sing while smoking a massive cigar, which is very difficult. I am not sure I could pull that off!"
Pep Guardiola was celebrating at Manchester City's training ground on the night they won their fifth Premier League title
Could a collaboration be on the cards, then? It turns out Guardiola has been trying to set one up for a while.
"To be honest, Pep is always trying to get me to bring a guitar to a game," Gallagher added.
"A couple of years ago, before our last game of the season, I had a day off in Amsterdam where I was on tour, and my phone went and it was Guardiola. I was thinking 'I wonder what he wants?'.
"So I picked up and he is going, 'Sunday, you are coming to the match?'
"I said 'yeah' and he said 'right, bring your guitar, because you can do a little gig for us in the dressing room afterwards'. I was like 'mate, I can't because all my equipment is on the road' and he was getting a bit upset about it, going 'why not!?'.
"One day, I'd love to do it and he can have a singalong with me, of course.
"Everyone who has seen that video, even my mates who support Manchester United and Liverpool, have all been saying 'what a dude' and how they wish he was their manager.
"And then of course because I know him a little bit I was like 'guys, you have no idea what he is like. He is not just our manager, he is one of us'."
Noel has unveiled a new track called We're On Our Way Now, about not getting a chance to say goodbye - fortunately he and thousands of other City fans will get the opportunity to bid Sergio Aguero farewell on Sunday
Gallagher's High Flying Birds release their greatest hits compilation Back The Way We Came: Vol 1 next month, and he is making predictions for the final round of Premier League fixtures this season.
He is not feeling confident about City's chances against Everton, because of the upcoming Champions League final, but is looking forward to the return of fans to the Etihad.
Gallagher added: "I will be there to say goodbye to Sergio Aguero and thankfully we will get to see this City team lift the Premier League trophy because, when push comes to shove, this might be the best of all the City teams we have seen.
"And what a legend Sergio has been. My head says draw but I am going to go with my heart and say it will be 2-1 to City and Aguero is going to get the winner right at the end - ideally after 93 minutes and 20 seconds (the time of his winner against QPR that won the 2012 title) because that would be great, wouldn't it?
"The result doesn't really matter but it will be another great day to see City lift the trophy, say goodbye to the man and send the team off to Porto - and then the week of no sleep starts."
Farewell Aguero - why Man City striker is a Premier League legend
Premier League predictions - week 38 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Result | Lawro | Noel | |
SUNDAY | |||
Arsenal v Brighton | 2-0 | 2-0 | 0-3 |
Aston Villa v Chelsea | 2-1 | 0-2 | 3-1 |
Fulham v Newcastle | 0-2 | 1-1 | 1-2 |
Leeds v West Brom | 3-1 | 2-0 | 4-0 |
Leicester v Tottenham | 2-4 | 1-2 | 2-0 |
Liverpool v Crystal Palace | 2-0 | 2-0 | 0-0 |
Man City v Everton | 5-0 | 3-0 | 2-1 |
Sheff Utd v Burnley | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2-2 |
West Ham v Southampton | 3-0 | 2-0 | 1-1 |
Wolves v Man Utd | 1-2 | 0-2 | 7-0 |
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
LAWRO'S PREMIER LEAGUE PREDICTIONS
SUNDAY
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Noel's prediction: If Brighton play half as well as they did against us on Tuesday, and score first, they will win - because those Arsenal fans will be gagging to boo that team off the pitch. I'm going for Brighton to win easily, if only to make AFTV a must-watch the next day. 0-3
Aston Villa 2-1 Chelsea
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Noel's prediction: Well, we want a long, drawn out brutal game in the pouring rain and Chelsea to get beaten. So I am going to go for Villa. 3-1
Fulham 0-2 Newcastle
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Noel's prediction: I don't think I could raise my spirits to start to care about this one. But I'll say Newcastle - once the leash is off them, they seem to do all right. 1-2
Leeds United 3-1 West Bromwich Albion
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Noel's prediction: Leeds have been great and I love their manager. We could do with getting Jack Harrison back at City from his loan with them. This will be a huge Leeds win, maybe four. 4-0
Leicester City 2-4 Tottenham Hotspur
Liverpool 2-0 Crystal Palace
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Noel's prediction: I am just praying Palace get something here. Hopefully Liverpool will get beaten but I am going to go for a draw. 0-0
Manchester City 5-0 Everton
Lawro's prediction: 3-0
Noel's prediction: I don't want any of the team that will face Chelsea next week to play, at all. None of them. I'd stick in what has now become the B team.
The risk of any injuries is why I'm just not looking forward to this game, at all, because it is going to be so nervy. Every tackle that goes in, we are going to wince and if Kevin de Bruyne plays, I might have to go down to the bench and say to Pep 'what are you doing, don't play him'.
So, I don't actually think we will win this game because I think their foot will be firmly off the gas. Everton don't mind getting stuck into our lot. I am going with my heart though, and hoping for an Aguero winner. 2-1
Sheffield Utd 1-0 Burnley
West Ham United 3-0 Southampton
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Noel's prediction: Neither of them are playing that great right now but I think West Ham will go out with a whimper, so probably a draw. 1-1
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-2 Manchester United
Lawro's prediction: 0-2
Noel's prediction: Wolves to win 7-0
Noel on whether Man Utd will push City closer next season: "No, because we are going to get better next season, because we've had our main striker out for most of the season so, as much as everyone else is going to get better by 10%, we're going to get better too. So I am not sure United have got a prayer - unless they get Erling Braut Haaland and Harry Kane, and a decent holding midfielder too, but I can't see it.
United have only benefitted from Chelsea and Liverpool both being a bit rubbish for most of the season. I think they will be lucky to get fourth next season.
Lawro and Noel were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
How did Lawro do last time?
From the last round of Premier League fixtures, Lawro got seven correct results from 10 matches, including one exact scores, for a total of 100 points.
He was beaten by Harry Potter actor Matthew Lewis, who got five correct results, but with two exact scores, giving him a total of 110 points - enough to send him joint-top of the guest leaderboard.
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEAM | P | W | D | L | PTS | +/- | |
1 | Man City | 38 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 106 | 0 |
=2 | Chelsea | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 90 | +1 |
=2 | Man Utd | 38 | 28 | 6 | 4 | 90 | 0 |
4 | Tottenham | 38 | 28 | 5 | 5 | 89 | +3 |
5 | Liverpool | 37 | 24 | 12 | 1 | 84 | -1 |
6 | Leeds | 37 | 24 | 1 | 12 | 73 | +4 |
7 | Leicester | 37 | 19 | 6 | 12 | 63 | -2 |
8 | Arsenal | 37 | 18 | 5 | 14 | 59 | +1 |
9 | Wolves | 37 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 53 | +3 |
10 | Everton | 37 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 52 | -2 |
11 | Brighton | 37 | 12 | 8 | 17 | 44 | +5 |
=12 | Burnley | 37 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 43 | +5 |
=12 | West Ham | 37 | 12 | 7 | 18 | 43 | -6 |
14 | Southampton | 37 | 11 | 5 | 21 | 38 | 0 |
15 | Aston Villa | 37 | 8 | 8 | 21 | 35 | -4 |
16 | Newcastle | 37 | 10 | 4 | 23 | 34 | -1 |
17 | Crystal Palace | 37 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 31 | -4 |
18 | Sheff Utd | 37 | 5 | 6 | 26 | 21 | +2 |
19 | Fulham | 37 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 9 | -1 |
20 | West Brom | 37 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 5 | -1 |
GUEST LEADERBOARD 2020-21
Score | Guest |
|---|---|
110 | Sister Bliss, Brandon Crook, Matthew Lewis, Amy Macdonald, Dot Major, Steve White |
100 | Tubes |
90 | Adam Devonshire, Becky Hill, Passenger, Chris Shiflett |
83.5 | Lawro (average after 37 weeks) |
80 | Celeste, Dan Flint, Frank Harper, Peter Hooton, Raye |
70 | Sam Carter, Lou Cotterill, Ben Thatcher |
60 | Majestic, Caroline Weir |
50 | Ace, David Gray, Declan McKenna, Billy Monger, Paul Smith, Alex Sprogis, DJ Target |
40 | Gavin 'Mo' Edgeley, Ben Howard |
30 | Rick Astley, Lewis Evans, Steve Guttenberg, Gethin Jones, Fraser T. Smith |
20 | Charlie Forbes, Dougie Payne |
10 | Theo Ellis |
0 | Rema |
Total scores after week 37 | |
|---|---|
Lawro | 3,090 |
Guests | 2,480 |
Lawro v Guests | |||
|---|---|---|---|
P37 | W20 | D2 | L15 |