Mark Lawrenson

Arsenal 2, Newcastle United 4 and Manchester United beat Watford on paper

In his weekly predict the scores for the BBC, ‘football expert’ Mark Lawrenson says Newcastle United with beat Arsenal. He reasons:

I just have a feeling it might work this time. Arsenal’s players are not the only ones who have been away on international duty of course, but this might be a good time for Newcastle to play them.

How many Arsenal played an international fixture in the last week? Five. They were: Granit Xhaka, Stephan Lichtsteiner (both Switzerland) Danny Welbeck (England), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (Greece) and Takuma Asano (Japan). Two of those were in the Arsenal first XI for their last Premier League match at Cardiff City.

Two.

On the other side, Salomon Rondon played for Venezuela in the early hours of Wednesday (BST), Fabian Schär played for Switzerland on Tuesday evening, Ki Sung-yueng played for South Korea, and DeAndre Yedlin appeared as an 85th minute substitute for the USA in Nashville. Ciaran Clark was an unused substitute as Republic of Ireland drew 1-1 in Poland.

Five players. Of those, Rondon, Sungg-yueng, Yedlin and Clark played for Newcastle in their last PL match.

Four.

But Lawrenson says it’s a good time to play Arsenal because their players have been away.

Total balls.

The other odd prediction is Watford’s home match with Manchester United. Watford – powerful and full of confidence – have won four in four. United – dull and functional – have lost two in four, winning the last match against a Burnley side feeling the effects of defeat a few days earlier in the Europe League. Here’s Lawrenson:

Watford are flying, and much has been made of the part in that played by Troy Deeney’s partnership with Andre Gray up front.

This will be a real test for Manchester United’s defence, but it is one I think they will pass.

United’s win at Burnley last time out was a big result for them, not just because they needed the three points after losing two games in a row, but because they needed to stop all the chatter around Jose Mourinho’s future.

I am going to go for another United win here, although I think it will be close.

Lawro’s prediction: 0-2

Watford have scored 9 and conceded 3; United have scored 6 and conceded 7. Any football experts want to back the smaller club..?

Anorak

Posted: 14th, September 2018 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment

Arsenal: Mark Lawrenson looks in the Mirror for the fools who said Manchester United were going great and the Gunners were doomed

HOW hard is it to be BBC football pundit who shares his bon mots with the Daily Mirror? Let’s look at Mark Lawrenson:

“While Arsenal go backwards, the big clubs have started the new season as they mean to go on…I have no idea what Arsenal are doing…it is all just a mess at the Emirates…just shows you how far Arsenal have fallen behind.”

“I have no idea what Arsenal are doing.”

And those are the truest words he has ever said.

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Anorak

Posted: 30th, September 2013 | In: Sports | Comments (3)

Luton Town v Millwall: Pleat’s confused predictions and the fixture’s history

MARK Lawrenson, miserabilist BBC football pundit, is sharing his predictions for the weekend with David Pleat, the former Luton Town and Spurs manager (cue that song):

“Luton have beaten Wolves and Norwich fairly and squarely with a lot of determined effort and I think playing Millwall at home is a great chance for them to get into the sixth round.”

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Anorak

Posted: 15th, February 2013 | In: Sports | Comment

BBC predicts Chelsea to beat Wigan 40-1

BBC Sport “football expert” Mark Lawrenson uses his expertise to forecast the weekend’s Premier League results. The more serious you take this guessology, the better. But then along comes Hulk Hogan to tell us that Stoke will beat Reading “because they are at home and their girlfriends will be watching” and Chelsea will beat Wigan 40-1.

Bang on, we reckon.

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Anorak

Posted: 8th, February 2013 | In: Sports | Comment

Mark Lawrenson Predicts Robbie Keane To Win Golden Boot

“LAWR-DOH,” screams the Sun’s back page as Mark Lawrenson has been “left red faced by a hugely embarrassing on-air gaffe that has enraged Liverpool fans”.