SATURDAY Liverpool v Arsenal (1245 GMT) Last week's fantastic comeback to beat Tottenham 5-2 was a great way for Arsenal to bounce back from a difficult couple of weeks. That game probably summed up where the Gunners are at the moment, because for half of it they looked a complete mess - almost shambolic. If Tottenham had reached half-time leading 2-0, then I think they would have won comfortably. But, after that, it was just irresistible Arsenal. Liverpool's big problem will be coming back down to earth after winning the Carling Cup on Sunday. What won't help them is that they might be without Steven Gerrard, who came off early on in England's friendly with the Netherlands on Wednesday. He had a tight hamstring and it was just a precaution, but he is still a doubt. But whether Gerrard plays or not, this is Liverpool playing at Anfield, so I have really got to go for a draw haven't I? That has been the story of their season at home. Their failure to convert their chances almost cost them against Cardiff City at Wembley but I think they deserved to win the game. The Reds' big problem, though, as I've said before is that I just don't think they get enough people forward and into the opposition penalty area at key times. This is a big game in the race for fourth place and the final Champions League spot, and I think it will end with the points being shared. Prediction: 1-1 Blackburn v Aston Villa I still maintain that, out of the teams at the bottom of the table, Blackburn are the biggest scrappers but they just did not turn up against Manchester City last weekend and they were well beaten. At times that looked like a training game for City but I think we will see something different from Blackburn at home, and this is a great time for them to play Aston Villa. Villa are struggling for form and, as well as seeing Robbie Keane go back to the United States at the end of his loan spell, they have had another big blow because Darren Bent's injury means he could be out for the rest of the season too. The Blackburn fans are going to hold a protest march against Rovers' owners the Venky's and manager Steve Kean before kick-off. If they are unhappy and they want to protest then that is fine, but when the game starts, they need to get behind their team. Prediction: 2-0 Man City v Bolton Bolton have got a run of games coming up after this one where they play some teams around them at the bottom of the table - QPR, Aston Villa, Blackburn, Wolves and Fulham - in succession. They might feel confident of getting wins from those games, especially at home, but the problem with that approach is that they have not been beating those sort of sides either - Wigan went to the Reebok Stadium a couple of weeks ago and won. So I worry about Bolton because they really need to be targeting every single game and be trying to nick the odd point somewhere to help their cause. It will not happen for them on Saturday, though. You just back Manchester City to beat everyone at the Etihad Stadium right now. After winning 13 out of 13 at home in the league this season, City have got so much belief and they seem to be able to despatch many teams almost at will. Prediction: 3-0 QPR v Everton This game falls into the 'must-win' category for QPR, because they are sinking like a stone. The change of manager has not worked for them as yet and, while you don't always see an instant response when you do that, the big problem for Mark Hughes is that he keeps seeing his players sent off. Samba Diakite's red card against Fulham last Saturday was QPR's fifth at home this season and that undermines what Hughes is trying to do. It comes from a lack of self-discipline as much as anything - as a player, if you have been booked already, you just have to be very, very careful. Everton, in contrast, are on a great run of late, having won four of their last five games. They had last weekend off because Liverpool were in the Carling Cup final but, because they have been playing well and winning, David Moyes and his players would probably have preferred not to have had a break. If I went with recent form, then I would obviously back Everton to win here but I quite fancy an upset on the basis that QPR's luck will change eventually, and they will begin to get a break or two. To be fair to Rangers, they haven't played that badly of late but they just keep pressing the self-destruct button and making things difficult for themselves. They will end their bad run sooner or later, though, and this might just be the game where it happens for them. Prediction: 2-1 Stoke v Norwich Stoke boss Tony Pulis got a bit of criticism last week after resting a few players for the Potter's Europa League tie against Valencia. But, after a four-game losing run in the Premier League, Pulis just needed to allay one or two fears against Swansea, and he did it with a bang because his side won comfortably in the end. Norwich, who were unlucky to lose so late against Manchester United on Sunday, will put up more resistance than the Swans because they are better defensively on the road, and they remain capable of some very good results. I don't have any concerns about either of these sides and, even when Stoke were on that poor run, they were never in any serious danger of getting dragged into the relegation scrap. The Potters are solid mid-table material at the moment. That is where they will finish and they will be pleased with that. Prediction: 2-1 West Brom v Chelsea West Brom just cannot stop scoring at the moment but the other thing about their impressive victory over Sunderland last week was that, after a three month wait in the Premier League, they also remembered how to win at home too. With Chelsea, you just don't know what you are going to get anymore. They won easily against Bolton last weekend but clearly all is not well - we have heard more from Andre Villas Boas this week talking to Portuguese radio about how he fears for his job. For me, it is time for Villas-Boas to put on his tin hat and stop answering every question he gets about his future. He needs to concentrate on getting some positive results because, if he does that, then people will stop asking him about his position. The situation is not going to change, because Chelsea have got some big games coming up against Birmingham in the FA Cup, Napoli in the Champions League and their Premier League form is under scrutiny. The pressure is on Villas-Boas and he has been a little bit too honest about it, which is where he has shown his inexperience. He has brought some of this pressure on himself by talking about his situation too much. He should just get on with training, coaching and managing. You don't get backing at Chelsea - when has Roman Abramovich ever released a statement saying 'I'm more than happy with the manager'? So, when Villas Boas is asked about his future, he just needs to say 'look, that's up to the owner - end of'. Prediction: 1-1 Wigan v Swansea This is a big game for Wigan boss Roberto Martinez against his former club. His side are still bottom of the Premier League table but they still have the mindset that they can beat the drop like they did last year, and that will only grow if they win this game. Swansea have probably not had too many disappointing days in the Premier League this season, but I think last week at Stoke was one of their poorest. Since that great win against Arsenal in January, the Welsh side have won only one of their last six games, so things have tailed off results-wise - whereas in the past they always got back on the horse quite quickly after a poor result. This game represents a chance for them to do that, and get a win, because Wigan can be quite open and Swansea will see lots of the ball. But there is something about Wigan that makes me think they will get the three points here. The Latics do create chances and they have spells in games where they put their opponents under a lot of pressure. They did that in their 0-0 draw with Villa last week, but they do need to make those spells count. Prediction: 2-1 Here are all of Mark Lawrenson's 2011-12 Premier League predictions & how the Table would look like if all his forecasts were correct: Lawro's 2011-12 Predictions
SUNDAY Newcastle v Sunderland (1200 GMT) I thought Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill was really honest last week when he said that his side have been competitive every week since he took charge in December, but they just weren't in the game in their 4-0 defeat by West Brom. He will be hoping that was just a blip. Newcastle beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light at the beginning of the season so, as well as looking to bounce back from that bad result against the Baggies, the Black Cats will want a bit of revenge. Everyone in the North East knows what this game means to both clubs and I think it will be a real scrap because they both have players who can battle. I am going to back Newcastle to edge it because of home advantage and also because I just feel that up front now they have got a real cutting edge. I was a bit surprised the Magpies let their lead slip in their draw with Wolves last weekend because they haven't let teams back into games too many times this season - when they have got themselves in a position to win games then, generally, they have gone on and won them. Prediction: 2-1 Fulham v Wolves (1405 GMT) I look at Wolves and see an odd situation because, although Terry Connor is one of the game's good guys and I wish him the best of luck between now and the end of the season, everybody knows he was not their first choice as manager. The whole process made them a bit of a laughing stock in many ways but they have to put that behind them now, and they did get a good point against Newcastle last week. It will be just as tough for them at Craven Cottage, because Fulham have got a harder edge about them these days, and Martin Jol has made them more and more difficult to beat. I think Russia striker Pavel Pogrebnyak has been a great signing by Jol, and a clever one too because Pogrebnyak needs games and needs to impress before the European Championship. I cannot see another point for Connor here, but what will help him as he tries to keep Wolves up is that he knows all about the characters of all the players, who has had a good season and who has been struggling. For me, though, it boils down to whether they can score enough goals. They are always competitive and they don't get rolled over very often but in that final third they are just lacking that extra bit of quality they need. Prediction: 2-1 Tottenham v Man Utd (1610 GMT) This will be a good game. They are always are between these two sides, because they will both go out and attack and try to play football. Manchester United showed again with their late winner against Norwich last weekend that they will definitely go the distance in the title race and I don't think Ryan Giggs' winner will have surprised many people. Good teams just wear you down, and Ferguson's mantra has always been to keep attacking, to chuck people forward and go for it. As for Tottenham, I suspect the trauma of their defeat by Arsenal will have unhinged them because generally they will have had very few bad days this season since they got turned over by United and Manchester City right at the very start of the campaign. What will not help Spurs is that they will be without Scott Parker, who is suspended, and I am not sure if Rafael van der Vaart will be fit after missing the Netherlands' game with England on Wednesday. There is also a little bit of uncertainty about their manager Harry Redknapp over exactly when the Football Association will ask for permission to talk to him, because the whole world and his dog knows that approach is coming. United might also be missing a few players, including Chris Smalling who was injured against the Dutch, but I just think this is the stage of the season when they deliver. The whole of their pre-season is geared towards getting them to peak for the run-in. Prediction: 1-2 Here are all of Mark Lawrenson's 2011-12 Premier League predictions & how the Table would look like if all his forecasts were correct: Lawro's 2011-12 Predictions
