Thursday night football & FA Cup weekend - Lawro's predictions v Noreen Khan

Published on: 19 April 2018

Tottenham and Manchester United meet at Wembley on Saturday with a place in the FA Cup final at stake.

You can watch the game live on BBC One and the BBC Sport website at 17:15 BST, but who will win?

BBC football expert Mark Lawrenson is going for United but thinks it will be tight, explaining: "It has got to be decided on the day but it would not surprise me if this game went the distance and is settled on penalties."

His guest this week - BBC Asian Network presenter, lifelong Liverpool fan and part-time stand-up comedian Noreen Khan - also thinks United will triumph.

"I never want United to win but I think they will this time," she explained. "Spurs got the better of them in January, and United will want their revenge."

Khan presents her radio show on BBC Asian Network on weekdays from 1-4pm. "A lot of my listeners have asked if I will present the show wearing my Liverpool sari if Liverpool win the CL - and of course I will"

Khan, who has had a customised Liverpool sari made, is also predicting the scores for the weekend's Premier League games - including her beloved Reds.

She explained: "I was going to host the Asian football awards in 2013 at Wembley so I thought why don't I go for something really different.

"I got together with a designer and we created this pretty amazing Liverpool FC sari with the Liver bird on it and 'You'll never walk alone' imprinted on it.

"I didn't realise it at the time but it was actually the world's first football sari, so that is my claim to fame."

Khan's says her Liverpool heroes are Steven Gerrard - "because of Istanbul" - John Barnes, Luis Suarez and Mohamed Salah.

"I got into supporting them because of my family, I am the youngest out of all my siblings and, growing up, they supported Liverpool so it was just natural really to become a fan.

"I hope Salah gets the Golden Boot this year, because he deserves it.

"He has been an amazing signing - I don't think anyone expected him to do as well as he has.

"Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has got a lot to do with it but Salah is just a raw talent and such a gifted player. He is a goalscoring machine and he makes it look so effortless as well."

FA Cup semi-final predictionsResultLawroNoreenSATURDAYMan Utd v Tottenhamx-x1-1*2-1SUNDAYChelsea v Southamptonx-x2-03-1

* Man Utd to win AET and pens

Premier League predictions - week 35ResultLawroNoreenTHURSDAYBurnley v Chelseax-x1-11-1*Leicester v Southamptonx-x2-01-0SATURDAYWest Brom v Liverpoolx-x1-10-3Watford v Crystal Palacex-x1-21-0SUNDAYArsenal v West Hamx-x2-03-1Stoke v Burnleyx-x1-11-1Man City v Swanseax-x3-03-0MONDAYEverton v Newcastlex-x2-12-2

*Game rearranged from week 31 - prediction made by comedian John Bishop

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 otherwise stated.

THURSDAY

Burnley v Chelsea (19:45 BST)

Burnley are on a fantastic run of five straight wins and they are playing with a swagger that you get when you are a team in the top seven and on a roll.

That sort of form breeds fantastic confidence and their players are clearly in form too. Everything is great from their point of view and Clarets boss Sean Dyche deserves to be in the running for the manager of the season award, even if I don't think he will get it.

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Sean Dyche 'realistic' about Burnley's European qualification hopes

One of the interesting things about the way Dyche has done it is that he has not got many foreign players.

Generally, Burnley are a Great Britain and Ireland team and I am sure other clubs must look at the success they have had with that and wonder if it is a template they might try to follow too.

The Clarets have already beaten Chelsea this season but I can see their winning run ending here, though, even if Chelsea are not the team they were last season.

Antonio Conte's side did not perform for a long time against Southampton but when they do turn it on they are a very good side and very hard to stop.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

John Bishop's prediction: 1-1 (game rearranged from FA Cup quarter-final weekend when Bishop was guest)

Leicester v Southampton (19:45 BST)

Is this game a priority for Southampton over the FA Cup? Yes.

I would expect Saints boss Mark Hughes to pick his strongest possible team and worry about Sunday's FA Cup semi-final afterwards.

I am not sure it will make too much difference, though. Leicester have had a bit of a wobble but I just look at Southampton and wonder how they are going to stop Jamie Vardy?

On the evidence of the past few games, I don't think it will happen - which is why I am going for a Foxes win.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

Noreen's prediction: 1-0

West Brom v Liverpool (Premier League, 12:30 BST)

I don't think anyone saw West Brom's win over Manchester United coming, but it means caretaker manager Darren Moore has taken four points from his two games in charge.

Is there such a thing as player power? Absolutely. And it would appear that some of the Baggies players were not playing for former manager Alan Pardew.

Whatever the truth is behind that situation, it does not reflect well on the Baggies players that they waited so long before putting in a couple of big performances.

It seriously worries me and, if I were a Baggies fan, I would be asking where this improvement has come from and why we have not seen it before.

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Man Utd 0-1 West Brom: Darren Moore delighted for Baggies players

Liverpool play Roma in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday but I don't think Jurgen Klopp will make too many changes with that game in mind.

This is a much tougher match for the Reds than it might have been a few weeks ago, because I can imagine West Brom thinking they will have a real go at them - and they have got nothing to lose.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Noreen's prediction: West Brom beat us at Anfield in the FA Cup and we only drew with them in the league earlier in the season which was another really disappointing result. I am hoping for a very different outcome this time now that we are on a real roll. 0-3

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FA Cup: Liverpool 2-3 West Brom highlights

Who knows what will happen in the next couple of weeks but just seeing Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals is an amazing feeling.

After the progress we have made this season and the way we are playing, I hope we can kick on and rival Manchester City for the title next season - it would be great to finally win the league is what we really, really want.

The squad just seems to be so strong at the moment and I am a big Jurgen Klopp fan too.

Without getting too excited, I'm hoping that if we go all the way in the Champions League then that could be the boost that we need.

Watford v Crystal Palace (Premier League)

Watford have only picked up one point from their past five league games and are not out of the woods completely yet at the bottom of the table.

I think the Hornets are going to be all right but they might have wait a bit a longer to reach the 40-point mark.

I like the way that Crystal Palace have a go at teams - they are one of the few sides to have tried that approach against Manchester City, and they would have beaten them if they had not missed a last-minute penalty.

Palace are a good watch and like to take teams on, so I am going to go for an Eagles win here.

Lawro's prediction: 1-2

Noreen's prediction: 1-0

Man Utd v Tottenham (FA Cup semi-final, 17:15 BST)

Tottenham are at 'home' because they have played at Wembley but there will be a very different feel to this game - there will be as many United fans there as Spurs supporters for starters.

United have played that many times at Wembley in the past few years - four times in the past two years - that it will not hold any surprises for them.

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FA Cup final highlights: Crystal Palace 1-2 Man Utd (aet)

It is a lot harder to predict what sort of performance we will see from Jose Mourinho's side, however.

It was just nuts for them to lose at home to West Brom last weekend, after winning a crazy Manchester derby the week before that.

United followed that by beating Bournemouth comfortably on Wednesday, and that is kind of where they are at the moment - very up and down.

I don't think this tie will be anything like United's trip to Wembley in January, when they went a goal down after 11 seconds and lost 2-0.

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Mourinho rues 'ridiculous' early goal

I just don't see it being a feast of football this time, and Mourinho will not want another open game. If Spurs score early again then of course that changes things, but he will keep things tight for as long as he can.

Both teams will be thinking if they get through this round they can win the competition - Southampton are battling relegation and Chelsea are not the side they were last season.

So this is the chance for both of them to win a trophy. Mourinho keeps telling us how many things he has won, and where, so we know how much it will mean to him if United do reach the final and go on to win it.

Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has always put the emphasis on his side's league position as a gauge of their progress, and he is dead right to do that.

But along the way it is just nice to win a trophy. If he manages that, it will stop people saying 'Tottenham? Good team, qualified for the Champions League, but they still haven't won anything under Pochettino."

Lawro's prediction: 1-1 AET - Man Utd to win on penalties.

Noreen's prediction: 2-1

SUNDAY

Arsenal v West Ham (Premier League, 13:30 BST)

Getting Andy Carroll fit is a big bonus for West Ham because he can come on for the last few minutes and cause mayhem, like he did in their draw with Stoke.

But it is a big ask for them to go to Emirates Stadium and get anything there - on home form alone, Arsenal are third in the table, just two points behind Manchester City.

The Gunners have been making lots of changes for their league games in between Europa League ties but they do not play the first leg of their semi-final against Atletico Madrid until Thursday, so I would expect Arsene Wenger to field a strong team.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

Noreen's prediction: 3-1

Stoke City v Burnley (Premier League, 13:30 BST)

Burnley are probably not the team you want to be playing when you are desperate for points.

Potters boss Paul Lambert said at the start of the week that his side need three more wins to stay up and he must have thought he had got one of them on Monday, until West Ham's late equaliser.

Now is the time when Lambert might be saying to his players that it is fine to take a few chances, because they need to press on.

But I don't see who is going to do that for Stoke when I look at their team. They are very short in attack and there is a reason why they have only scored 31 league goals so far in 34 matches.

Lawro's prediction: 1-1

Noreen's prediction: 1-1

Chelsea v Southampton (FA Cup semi-final, 15:00 BST)

Mark Hughes has changed Southampton since taking charge a month ago in that they have suddenly got goals in their team.

The problem is that he has also conceded three goals in each of his three league games, including against Chelsea last weekend.

That game, and the way Saints lost it after going 2-0 up, was a big blow for them.

Of course, you could argue that things would have been very different if Marcos Alonso had been sent off early in the game for his tackle on Shane Long - I think Saints would have held out against 10 men.

If they keep scoring goals they will have a chance in their remaining league matches but if they continue to be so porous at the back then they are in big trouble.

Alonso is suspended for this game after receiving a retrospective ban but I would still fancy the Blues to progress.

Lawro's prediction: 2-0

Noreen's prediction: Chelsea sometimes leak a few goals but think they will win this one, and possibly quite comfortably. 3-1

Man City v Swansea (Premier League, 16:30 BST)

The bunting will be out at Etihad Stadium after they sealed their title triumph last weekend, for the fans at least.

But you know what Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is like - he will not let any of his players take the foot off the gas, and he will have them revved up.

I have been fortunate enough to have been in this position lots of times with Liverpool, when we had won the league with lots of games to spare and we were not quite at it for the rest of the season.

I don't think that will be the case with Manchester City, though, because their manager is so driven.

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Guardiola great for English game - Lineker

Swansea will come and try to stop them, but I think Pep will want Manchester City to put on a show.

The good news for Swansea is that they have a bit of a cushion between themselves and the bottom three, and also that their final two games are at home to Southampton and Stoke - so their survival is still very much in their own hands.

Lawro's prediction: 3-0

Noreen's prediction: Manchester City have been scoring a lot of goals all season and I can see them getting a few more on Sunday. 3-0

MONDAY

Everton v Newcastle (Premier League, 20:00 BST)

There is a lot of speculation about Sam Allardyce's future at Goodison Park - but where is the game going to if all clubs start doing what Everton have done this week, with their fans survey about his performance?

It is obvious that a lot of Everton fans are not fans of Allardyce, which is fine - that is their opinion. But you know what? He has not done a bad job, and he has done the job he was brought in to do.

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Swansea 1-1 Everton: Sam Allardyce satisfied with 'great' point

I suppose when you sign an 18-month deal like he did, you are not expecting to be at a club for a long time anyway - in theory he only has one more season left.

Whatever happens next at Everton, I do not understand asking the fans. I don't get that at all - who have they picked to ask, for starters?

Are they all Everton season ticket holders? And can Liverpool fans have a vote? Rate the Everton manager out of 10? Most Liverpool fans would probably give him 11.

Seriously, though, whatever you think about Allardyce's tactics, when he took the job in November, the Toffees were in danger of being relegated. They were a complete mess.

Allardyce's remit was to keep them in the Premier League, not to recreate the glory days of Alan Ball, Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey and the Everton 'School of Science'.

Actually, if you think about it, Allardyce's approach is a school of science - just maybe not the one that the fans wanted.

But, if Everton do decide they want a change, it would not surprise me to find him at somewhere like West Brom next season.

He is not going to be short of offers because his record speaks for itself so, if he leaves, then it will not be the end of the world for him.

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Newcastle 2-1 Arsenal: Rafael Benitez congratulates Magpies after win

When we are talking about managers who have done a good job, then Rafael Benitez is definitely one of them. Newcastle's run of four straight wins has taken them to safety.

There is always one team that completely bombs at this stage of the season - arguably Stoke this time - and another who pulls results out of the fire and leaves you asking 'whoa, where did that come from?'.

Newcastle have done brilliantly but if the results of the Everton fans' survey are in, then I bet the Toffees go and win.

Lawro's prediction: 2-1

Noreen's prediction: These two are pretty close in the table so I am going to go for a draw. 2-2

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

How did Lawro do in the sixth round?

On FA Cup sixth-round weekend, Lawro got three correct results, with two perfect scores, from the four ties for a total of 90 points and a success rate of 75%.

He was up against comedian John Bishop who got three correct results, with one perfect score, for a total of 60 points and a success rate of 75%.

FA Cup leaderboard after round sixCorrect result(Perfect scores)Success rateJohn Bishop3/4(1)75%Lawro39/60(10)65%Vuj7/16(2)44%Guz Khan12/32(2)38%Poet6/16(0)38%Tekkerz Kid3/8(0)38%

From the last round of Premier League games, Lawro got four correct results, including two perfect scores, from 10 matches for a total of 100 points.

He beat comedian Elis James, who got three correct results, including one perfect score, for a total of 30 points.

In this week's rearranged games, Lawro wrongly predicted Tottenham would beat Brighton 2-1 on Tuesday (the game ended 1-1) but correctly thought Manchester United would beat Bournemouth 2-0 on Wednesday.

Similarly, Khan thought Spurs would win 3-1 and United would win 2-0.

Those points will be added on to their total scores next week.

Total scores after week 34Lawro3,030Guests2,500Lawro v GuestsP34W20D3L11 +/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITIONPOSTEAMPWDLPTS+/-1Man Utd34276187+12Tottenham34267185+23Man City33266184-24Liverpool342113076-15Chelsea3421857106Arsenal33161256007Leicester341561351+18West Ham33916843+69Burnley3410111341-210Southampton341181541+811Bournemouth3410101440012West Brom341161739+813Stoke347121533+614Crystal Palace34871931+215Everton347101731-616Newcastle336101728-617Brighton344131725-418Swansea33552320-119Watford34472319-720Huddersfield341122115-5GUEST LEADERBOARDSCOREGUEST LEADERBOARD160Justin Hawkins, Chris Shiflett130James Anderson*, Joe Johnson*120Russel Leetch*, Will Poulter, Moeen Ali110Aron Baynes*100Cesaro & Seamus, Wretch 3290Arni and Justin from The Vaccines, Pete Wentz89Lawro (average after 34 weeks)80John Cena, Darren Campbell70John Bishop** Brendan Foster*, Mark Strong60Jimmy from Django Django, Will Ferrell, Nish Kumar, Non Stanford, Rick Witter50Steve Cram, Michael Dapaah, Russell Howard, Channing Tatum, Joe Root, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, Dario Saric, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell,40Craig David, Ed Lay30Elis James, Rhys James, Felix White20Charlie Cooper, Richard Osman, Emmanuel Sanders and Josh Norman

* Shows weeks where Lawro had more than one guest, and only the highest score contributed to the guest total.

** Shows weeks where guest total does not include all rearranged games.

Lawro's best score: 170 points (week 30 v Arni and Justin from The Vaccines)

Lawro's worst score: 40 points (week four v Umenyiora and Bell, week five v Non Stanford, week 21 v Darren Campbell and week 23 v Saric and Baynes)

Source: bbc.com

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