Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36

[MyFootballFacts]

SATURDAY Everton v Fulham Everton's performance in their 4-4 draw at Old Trafford last week was hugely impressive, bearing in mind most people thought that, if there was going to be a reaction to their FA Cup semi-final defeat by Liverpool, it would be a negative one. How wrong can you be? United were unhappy about their defending but the quality of the Toffees' goals was outstanding. Fulham have been safe for a while and, like David Moyes's side, they are looking up the table and eyeing seventh place, which is definitely up for grabs. Martin Jol has slowly changed the way the Cottagers play and, although it has been gradual, it has worked. Signing Pavel Pogrebnyak has been a masterstroke because he has kicked them on with his goals since January. A top-half finish is a decent achievement for both sides and Moyes consistently delivers that year in, year out. I know quite a few Everton fans were upset after that cup semi-final at Wembley because they felt that, if their side had really gone for Liverpool while they were still ahead against the Reds and scored a second, then that would have been game over. But semi-finals are notorious for producing games where teams do not play at their best - ask Barcelona and Real Madrid after this week's Champions League ties. Prediction: 2-0 Stoke v Arsenal Arsenal really need to kick on in the chase for the Champions League spot, especially because only third place will get them in if Chelsea win this year's final. The Blues beating Barcelona has certainly spiced up the end of the season for Arsene Wenger's side and the teams immediately below them. The Gunners had a firm grasp on third not so long ago but they have hit the buffers a little bit in recent weeks, and dropping points at home against Wigan and Chelsea means they really need to return to winning ways here. I'm not sure they will manage it at the Britannia Stadium because Stoke always seem to give them a good game there - Arsenal have lost on three of their last four visits. On the positive side for Wenger, Robin van Persie was deservedly crowned the Professional Footballers' Association's Player of the Year and Footballer Writers' Association Footballer of the Year this week. He has not only had a brilliant season, he has completely resurrected their campaign It's not just the goals on their own, it is the quality of them - and the fact he can make them for others too. He has also steered clear of injuries, which is something he has struggled with in the past. Van Persie's contract runs out in the summer of 2013 of course and, if they want him to sign a new deal, they will have to give him a fortune - which will make a difference to what they have to pay everyone else. It is a big decision but, if they let him leave, they are going to have to replace him and probably spend a lot of money in the process. Will whoever they buy be as good as Van Persie has been this season? Absolutely no chance. I think Wenger has to bite the bullet and give him the dough. Prediction: 1-1 Sunderland v Bolton Bolton picked up a truly massive win over Aston Villa in midweek, and that was an exceptional result when you consider how many players Owen Coyle's side were missing. Sunderland went to Villa Park a few days before and got a draw, although they had enough chances to win comfortably. Martin O'Neill has seen his side's results dip a bit of late - they have only lost one of their last five league games, but they have not won any of them. The Black Cats will be without Sebastian Larsson, who misses their run-in after having a hernia operation, but I still fancy them to edge this one and keep Bolton in big trouble at the bottom. Wanderers have got a game in hand on the other sides down there, which means they will still have opportunities to get out of the bottom three if they do slip up, but I just look at the relegation issue and think it is going down to the last day of the season. Prediction: 2-1 Swansea v Wolves Wolves will not be making the great escape this year, because they are down after their defeat by Manchester City last week. The daft thing is that might bring an improvement in their form, because they can play without fear now. That should make for an open game at the Liberty Stadium, although that might be asking for trouble against a Swansea side that seem to have recovered from their little blip and are looking to finish the season on a high. The result is not all-important for Wolves, because they know they will be in the Championship next season, but the big question is where do they go next? It will be interesting to see who their manager is next season, and how many of the current squad stay at Molineux. I am pretty sure they will not have to sell. The problem for whoever will try to get them back in the Premier League is that you can never get rid of your average players - you can only get rid of your good ones. Prediction: 2-0 West Brom v Aston Villa It is always nice to deal your rivals a severe blow so West Brom will be delighted if they can beat Aston Villa and add to their disastrous run of form, which has seen Alex McLeish's men win only one of their last 13 league games. The Baggies have done it before against Midlands opposition, when they thrashed Wolves 5-1 in February, in what was Mick McCarthy's last game in charge at Molineux. West Brom had a great win against Liverpool last weekend, although they did seriously ride their luck at Anfield. Roy Hodgson admitted that and you know when your manager says that, you have been seriously battered. So they come into this game on a high, whereas Villa just cannot buy a goal right now. McLeish had to bring Emile Heskey back into his starting XI against Bolton and the last time he scored was on 20 August. There is no doubt Villa's players are playing for McLeish but they cannot win games because they cannot score. Once they lost Darren Bent, you always knew they were going to be in trouble. Villa play well in patches - for example, they started well against Bolton - but it looks to me as if they are waiting for something to happen. It is - they are sinking fast. Prediction: 2-0 Wigan v Newcastle This is an interesting game because, with six wins on the bounce, Newcastle are undoubtedly the Premier League's form team. They look like a Champions League side at the moment, and although their run has to end at some point, they have hit their stride at exactly the right time and they are playing like they think they can beat whoever they are up against. The Magpies have benefited from being able to play their front three of Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba and Hatem Ben Arfa in all six of those games, and you can see why Alan Pardew's men are playing with a swagger right now because they are creating stacks of chances. They get goals from everywhere and, even if they are under a bit of pressure at the DW Stadium, they can break so quickly because those front three players are like lightning. Wigan were on a really good run themselves until their defeat by Fulham last weekend but, because they have struggled for so much of the season, the suspicion with them is that that slip-up might be the start of another poor run. Prediction: 1-2 Norwich v Liverpool (1730 BST) Liverpool's run will be sending their manager Kenny Dalglish crazy because he will know last week's defeat by West Brom was another example of the number of home games his side could and should have won this season. Instead, they lost 1-0. Again, the Reds played well against the Baggies and created loads of chances. But they just cannot score. Their problem has been evident for a long time and it is that they need a regular goalscorer to play alongside Luis Suarez up front because nobody looks like scoring for them from midfield on a regular basis. Norwich got a draw at Anfield in October because of Liverpool's wastefulness and, as in so many other games at Anfield this season, the Reds could quite easily have won. Their results and their league position is not great but, if I were Dalglish, I would be pointing at those performances and saying to the club's owners 'we are not far away'. The Canaries come into this game on the back of a couple of defeats, at Blackburn and before that a pasting at home to Manchester City, and you would expect a response from Paul Lambert's men, which is why I am going for a draw here. As I have said before, it is important Norwich strengthen in the right way in the summer. It will be difficult but they have got it spectacularly right in the last couple of years. At the moment Lambert has got the right balance in the dressing room and nearly all the players he has got have a point to prove, whether it is to themselves, their manager or the club. I think Lambert will try to continue that in the summer, and go domestic in almost all of his signings. He needs hungry players and, judging from what we have seen of him so far, that is exactly who he will go for. Prediction: 1-1 SUNDAY Chelsea v QPR (1330 BST) There will be a lot of focus before this game on Chelsea captain John Terry and QPR defender Anton Ferdinand following the incident at Loftus Road in October when it is alleged Terry made racist comments towards Ferdinand. Hopefully, after this game, people will just be talking about the football in what I think will be an ultra-competitive and hard-fought west London derby. This looks a tricky game for Chelsea, especially because their manager Roberto di Matteo will rotate his squad for it. He has to because he has had four massive games in the past two weeks. QPR are scrapping for survival and will be ready for what will be the biggest game of their season, firstly because they will be battling to get any sort of result on the road to complement their healthy home form and secondly because it is against their west London rivals. Di Matteo has had a simply unbelievable run since he took over as interim Blues boss at the start of March and his is an amazing story. True, he has had the run of the ball at times but his side have also produced some incredible performances too. Their two displays against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final were outstanding because beating Barca over two legs is obviously so much more difficult that doing it in a one-off game. I just did not think it could happen. You cannot speak highly enough about the way the players took to the way Di Matteo structured the team in those two ties against Barca, and it was the same against Arsenal last weekend too. He has every chance of getting the job on a permanent basis but that decision is down to one man - Roman Abramovich. He will look at the situation and think he can get anyone he wants. Prediction: 1-1 Tottenham v Blackburn (1600 BST) I kept thinking Tottenham would bounce back from their poor run but the truth is that, since the end of January, they have never really hit the heights they achieved earlier in the season. There was a stage before Christmas when they were playing better football than anyone else, but that seems a long, long time ago now. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has got more out of Emmanuel Adebayor than most managers, and for a lot longer too, but he has gone off the boil now and seems to have lost his hunger. Rafael van der Vaart has not been as influential, and even Luka Modric, Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale seem less effective. Tottenham's problem is that those players were so influential when they were playing at their peak, that at times they were unplayable. That's just not the case now and, with one or two injuries in defence, Spurs have started to look vulnerable. Blackburn will undoubtedly cause them problems too, but they have to find a way of getting the ball to Yakubu inside the box. I know Junior Hoilett scored a superb goal against Norwich in Rovers' last match, but you cannot expect him to do that in every game. Last time Tottenham had a fixture like this was against Norwich on 9 April - and the Canaries completely outplayed them. I don't see that happening again. Prediction: 2-0 MONDAY Manchester City v Manchester United (2000 BST) I think the best thing that has happened to Manchester City in the last few weeks has been Mario Balotelli's sending off against Arsenal on Easter Sunday because that meant Carlos Tevez had to be chucked in. I don't think manager Roberto Mancini was sure whether to start Tevez, but he has had no option. And he and his Argentina team-mate Sergio Aguero have clicked as a partnership, and the goals have been flowing. I cannot see there being too many goals on Monday night, although there will be an incredible atmosphere at Etihad Stadium. City have to win and, with 16 wins and one draw out of 17 home league games this season, they have an outstanding home record. But Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson knows that if his side do not lose this game, then they are still in the box seat in the title race. So I do not see Ferguson playing two strikers or, if he does, Wayne Rooney will be in a withdrawn role. You want him in midfield, because he sees everything and can play a killer ball for the likes of Danny Welbeck, as well as get on the end of them himself. But they will still use their width, and still look to get men forward. I see Ferguson treating this match like a Champions League group game, where they need a point. The way to get it against good sides is to always pose a threat, otherwise they just pile forwards at you and you cannot get out of your own half. Balotelli is back from his ban, of course, but there is no way Mancini will be starting him. I can see him being on the bench, though, because the thing about him is that not even he knows what he is going to do next. If, with 10 or 15 minutes to go, Mancini whispers in his ear and says 'Mario you owe me a massive favour' he might just make a difference. Even then he might just come on and sulk, though! I think the problem with him is when you start with him because, if the passes to him are not inch-perfect, it seems like he cannot be bothered and that sets the tone for the rest of the night. Prediction: 1-1 Here are all of Mark Lawrenson's 2011-12 Premier League predictions, together with how the League Table would look like if all his forecasts for the season so far were correct...

[ONEDUNME]

Re: Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36 Mark Lawrenson couldn't find his arse with a guide dog. He's the most clueless football pundit alive and if anyone doubts it they should check out his results on the BBC website which proves that you'd be better off taking tipping advice from Russell Grant, Frankie Dettori, Tynchi Stryder and strictly come dancing "star" Ola Jordan. All titans in the world of football punditry I'm sure we'd agree but none of them (as far as I'm aware) getting paid huge sums of money to impart their knowledge of the game. It beggers belief that someone who has spent so long in the game can come up with the sort of inane drivel that you can hear any fat drunk in any pub in the land spout out. He hasn't had an original thought in his head since......well, I've never heard one to be honest. I've heard of sitting on the fence, I've heard of playing it safe but to sit down week after week and never actually offer an opinion that anyone couldn't overhear when they walked past their local nursing home is bizarre. Why do the BBC pay to drive him from Liverpool to London and back every weekend to appear on match of the day. Couldn't they get someone equally clueless who's a bit more local and save some cash? I hear Boris Johnson may have some spare time in the near future.

[MyFootballFacts]

Re: Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36

Mark Lawrenson couldn't find his arse with a guide dog. He's the most clueless football pundit alive and if anyone doubts it they should check out his results on the BBC website which proves that you'd be better off taking tipping advice from Russell Grant, Frankie Dettori, Tynchi Stryder and strictly come dancing "star" Ola Jordan. All titans in the world of football punditry I'm sure we'd agree but none of them (as far as I'm aware) getting paid huge sums of money to impart their knowledge of the game. It beggers belief that someone who has spent so long in the game can come up with the sort of inane drivel that you can hear any fat drunk in any pub in the land spout out. He hasn't had an original thought in his head since......well, I've never heard one to be honest. I've heard of sitting on the fence, I've heard of playing it safe but to sit down week after week and never actually offer an opinion that anyone couldn't overhear when they walked past their local nursing home is bizarre. Why do the BBC pay to drive him from Liverpool to London and back every weekend to appear on match of the day. Couldn't they get someone equally clueless who's a bit more local and save some cash? I hear Boris Johnson may have some spare time in the near future.

Here are Lawro's points predictions for the season so far...

[drawback05]

Re: Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36 Lawro was on Irish radio yesterday with Tony Cascarino. Lawro went for Man Utd not to lose and Cascarino went for United. Hope they get a good slagging next time they're on. And ONEDUNME, I agree 100% - he's a lazy, unoriginal bag of air.

[liamhammers]

Re: Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36 were can you find his predicitons

[western skies]

Re: Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36 They're on the BBC Sport website. Although why anyone would want to follow them, unless you're planning to lay his tips, is a mystery.

[Denman]

Re: Mark Lawrenson's Premier League Predictions for Matchday 36 I can only really agree with how bad a pundit Lawro is, his league table of predictions are hilariously wrong. Man United would have gone all season unbeaten and Wolves are comfortably mid-table. :lol