Taking a Closer Look at Lawro’s Predictions – Is He Psychic?
Mark Lawrenson’s predictions have become essential reading for fans looking for the lowdown on upcoming Premier League matches. They’re also a regular feature in the Sunday headlines.
Whether Lawro’s Premier League predictions speculate on the near future of Manchester City, Aston Villa, West Brom, or West Ham, they help players know what to expect of their favourite teams. But how often does Lawrenson get correct results with his predictions? Thrillz investigates.
Why is Mark Lawrenson a Credible Source?
The football legend has spent decades immersed in the sport, first as a player, then as a manager, and today as a respected pundit. He’s best known for his amazing run playing for Liverpool in the 1980s, when he helped them win the league championship and FA Cup double. They were only the third club to achieve this monumental feat in the 20th century. This incredible feat, therefore, makes Lawrenson’s predictions pretty accurate.
Are Lawro’s Premier League Predictions Always Correct?
It would be impossible for Lawrenson’s predictions to be correct every single time. The man may be one of the most flamboyant football experts in the country, but (as far as we know) he’s not psychic. However, he still manages to make Premier League predictions with remarkable accuracy on a frequent basis.
That should come as no surprise. As a seasoned BBC pundit, Mark Lawrenson has spent most of his life following football. He’s played on the field. He’s taken on some of the finest teams in the Premier League (and the world, for that matter). Few people know as much about the beautiful game as he does.
As fans will know, BBC Sport makes a game of Lawro’s predictions. Each week, the BBC pundit predicts the results of upcoming fixtures alongside various guests from across entertainment, sports, and other fields. Lawrenson and his guests receive 10 points for each correct prediction, but Lawro often comes out on top.
A section titled “How did Lawro do last week?” helps fans keep track of his ongoing performance from week to week. This breaks down exactly how many of Mark Lawrenson’s predictions are correct results and the number of points he earned. It also compares his score to that of his guest.
What Guests Go Head to Head with the BBC Pundit in Mark Lawrenson’s Predictions Column?
Guests featuring in Mark Lawrenson‘s predictions column span diverse ages and professions. For example, Elena Cole and Haydn Craven from CBBC’s football drama Jamie Johnson took Lawrenson on for the column published on 23 October 2021.
All three made Premier League predictions on the week’s matches, which included:
- Arsenal v Aston Villa
- Chelsea v Norwich
- Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
- Everton v Watford
Lawrenson believed that Arsenal would beat Aston Villa 2 – 1, while Cole predicted Arsenal and Aston Villa would draw 1 – 1 instead. Craven considered Arsenal to be the superior team, capable of beating Aston Villa 1 – 0. The final score was Arsenal 3 : Aston Villa 1. Lawro and Craven both correctly predicted the winning side.
For Crystal Palace v Newcastle United, Cole and Craven predicted scores of 2 – 1 and 1 – 2, respectively. Lawrenson matched Cole with a 2 – 1 prediction. The final score was Crystal Palace 1 : Newcastle United 1.
Lawrenson beat Elena Cole and Haydn Craven, but it was close. Lawro got five correct results across 10 matches with one exact score. He earned 80 points in total. Cole scored 70 points and Craven scored 60.
What is Lawro’s League Table?
BBC Sport presents Mark Lawrenson’s Premier League predictions with an updated Lawro’s League Table each week. This league table lists the clubs’ positions according to Mark Lawrenson’s predictions, with information on the differences from the actual league table.
For example, in the column published on 31 October 2021, Lawro’s League Table showed Manchester City at the top with 23 points, a +6 difference from their real placement at the time of publication. Manchester United was in joint first position with 23 points, a +2 difference at the time.
Fans of Lawro’s prediction column can compare his league table with the real Premier League table from week to week. As with any sport, football can be a tricky game to try to predict correctly, but Lawrenson continues to do an impressive job.
Do Mark Lawrenson’s Predictions Achieve More Correct Results Than His Guests’?
BBC Sport tracks the predictions made by Mark Lawrenson each week and totals up his score across the season. It also shows the guests’ combined score beneath. This is a quick and easy way to measure how often Mark Lawrenson gets correct results when he makes predictions.
For example, the 31 October column saw Duran Duran’s drummer Roger Taylor, a big fan of Aston Villa, try to outdo Mark Lawrenson’s predictions. He felt that Manchester City would beat Crystal Palace 3 – 1, while Lawro predicted 3 – 0. The real score was Crystal Palace 2 : Manchester City 0.
Taylor also predicted that Tottenham would best Manchester United 2 – 1. Lawrenson believed that Manchester United would walk away with a victory, beating Tottenham 2 – 1. However, on the day, Manchester United trounced Tottenham 3 – 0.
Tottenham was at tenth position on Lawro’s League Table, with 14 points (-4 behind their placement on the real Premier League table at the time). By the end of that column, Mark Lawrenson’s predictions had earned him 740 points across nine weeks. His guests, though, were still 200 points behind with a combined score of 540.
Where Can You Find Lawro’s Prediction Column?
Mark Lawrenson shares his predictions for upcoming fixtures on the BBC Sport website weekly during the football season. You can check out how his predictions line up with the results on the real Premier League table, and how he fares against one guest after another. He can’t always get a correct result, but it’s amazing to see how often he does.