Blasphemy! Seven clubs lock horns for the title after sir Alex Ferguson's retirement!

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Gunners grant Badelj Old Trafford exit
The midfielder fell out of Moyes' plans​
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Sol Campbell
The Guardian, Friday 15 January 2016
Arsenal have announced the signing of midfielder Milan Badelj (26) from rivals Manchester United for 10.75 million pounds. The Croatia international is a very creative player and is likely to fit well in Arsene Wenger's formation. He has represented his country on 24 occasions and scored one international goal.

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Badelj comes from Old Trafford
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Badelj spent two and a half seasons at Old Trafford but David Moyes' hectic spending eventually saw competition rise too much and the midfielder has lost his place in the first team. He has only started three games this season but scored a goal and created another two with particularly impressive cup outings.​

Milan Badelj transfer verdict: 6.0/10 - this is not the player to revive Arsenal's title ambitions but he will be useful in guiding the Gunners out of the mess they find themselves in currently.
 
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Noel

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season.

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This week he takes on English musician, singer, songwriter and Manchester City fan Noel Gallagher. Noel served as the lead guitarist, occasional lead singer and principal songwriter of the rock band Oasis. Many have praised Gallagher's songwriting, with George Martin claiming him to be "the finest songwriter of his generation."

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Lawro vs Manchester City fan Noel

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A correct result is worth ONE point. A correct score earns THREE points.

Arsenal - Newcastle
Noel Gallagher: It's about time the champions lose pace and a nice draw here would let us catch up with them. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: I think the Magpies will be itching to get back to winning ways after surrendering a two goal lead against the Red Devils last round. 1-3.

Nottingham Forest - Chelsea
Noel Gallagher: I'd love to say otherwise but this is a Chelsea win. 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: Can't see past the Blues for this one. 1-4.

Liverpool - Manchester City
Noel Gallagher: Anfield isn't what it used to be, we will win easily. 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I don't see Liverpool putting out a fight against this City side. 0-2.

Manchester United - Tottenham
Noel Gallagher: Another draw here would suit us perfectly. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: The Red Devils are at home so I expect them to win, even though it will probably be close. 3-2.

Last week, Lawro got three results right, with one perfect score. His score of 5 was way too good for the predictions of Arsenal fan Dido, who scored 1, managing one correct result with no perfect scores.

Total scores after Week Twenty Two
Lawro: 94
Guests: 78
 
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Premier League
Round 23

Saturday 16th January 2016:

Arsenal - Newcastle 1-2​
Isco (27); Depay (19), Grimm (37), Baines sent off (86)
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Sunday 17th January 2016:

Liverpool - Manchester City 1-3
Onazi (54), Solly sent off (90); Messi (27), Oxlade-Chamberlain o.g. (52), Morrison o.g. (90+3)
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Nottingham Forest - Chelsea 1-3
King (81); Falcao (pen 49), Mata (59), Hazard (71)
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Monday 18th January 2016:

Manchester United - Tottenham 3-0
Kagawa (15, 17), van Persie (43)
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League Table:

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Gary Lineker: Good evening and welcome to Match of the Day for our thoughts on the 2015/16 Premier League season! It seems the race will be as tight as ever this time around and as we all know it is those direct 6-pointer clashes that play a decisive part in deciding who will fly and who will fall. For this reason we will be focusing solely on those giant games in Match of the Day. Stay with us as Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer aid me on analyzing the key aspects of what happened and why it happened for you!

Arsenal - Newcastle
1-2
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Gary Lineker: The Magpies arrived at the Emirates knowing nothing less than 3 points would be good enough to remain top of the league table. Determination to win the game was probably helped by the fact this ground has been less than a fortress in this particular season. Memphis Depay gave the visitors the lead but memories of spectacular collapses were sparkled to life when Isco equalized less than ten minutes later. Newcastle kept attacking though and a second goal from Grimm allowed them to relax at half time. There were lots of chances after the break but none of them were taken and the Gunners lost yet another title contender derby.
Alan Hansen: I can't say this was a spectacular match, it was more about the result and the champions did exactly what they wanted and nothing more. They turned it into a battle knowing they have more quality than Arsenal and prevailed. Perhaps there could have been some more flair if it wasn't for second half injuries to Cabaye and Isco but we will never know. It's worth noting Leighton Baines got his fourth league red card in the end but I felt it was more because of the reputation he now has and the FA rightfully rescinded it after the game.
Alan Shearer: I'd say Vermaelen had a decent game for the hosts but Reyes disappointed. Zouma picked up the PoM award and Baines was great going forward despite the red card - he also created one of the goals.
Gary Lineker: It was a very important score for Newcastle and it allowed them to keep top spot regardless of the other results. They might want to try and score as many as possible from now on though as it seems the title might be decided on goal difference.
 

Gary Lineker: Good evening and welcome to Match of the Day for our thoughts on the 2015/16 Premier League season! It seems the race will be as tight as ever this time around and as we all know it is those direct 6-pointer clashes that play a decisive part in deciding who will fly and who will fall. For this reason we will be focusing solely on those giant games in Match of the Day. Stay with us as Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer aid me on analyzing the key aspects of what happened and why it happened for you!

Manchester United - Tottenham
3-0
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Gary Lineker: The Red Devils simply needed to keep going after finally catching up with Newcastle but next to arrive at Old Trafford was Tottenham and that's hardly an easy game. Man United did their best to avoid complications and Kagawa bagged an early brace to demolish any hopes Spurs might have had of chasing a result. Van Persie added a third just before half time and the Red Devils wrapped it up after an uneventful second half.
Alan Hansen: That was a champion desplay from Man United. They knew what they wanted, went out there and got it. Moyes took full advantage of having an extra midfielder because of Laudrup's usual 4-4-2 and that allowed Kagawa the space and time to finish attacking moves - which effectively decided the outcome of the game before Spurs could react! Routine three points and more pressure on rivals - that's how it's done.
Alan Shearer: Of course Kagawa got the PoM award - by the way he also assisted for the third goal. The entire defensive line was also very good for Man United, Jordi Alba in particular. Spurs disappointed, especially Higuain and Lloris.
Gary Lineker: Man United keep up pace with the champions after this good win - let's not underestimate the fact they also gained two goals on them as goal difference might be vital in the end of the season! I doubt the loss will hurt Spurs very much as they had no chances of attacking the top four anyway.
 
KevinHann said:
Manchester City - Newcastle 4-2 (4-7)​
Messi (8, 51, 84), Ronaldo (61); Lamela (28, 63), Debuchy sent off (45+1)​
​
Click to expand...

We were in a world of trouble after yet another stupid red card and it was looking bad until Lamela's second got us off the hook! Couldn't believe I'd be sweating after taking a 5-0 lead in the first leg but it was close...
 
English Title Contenders Cup Watch
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Fourth Round

Saturday 23rd January 2016:

Blackpool - Tottenham 1-1
Ranger (37); Paulinho (58)​
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Newcastle - Everton 3-1​
Grimm (63), Donovan (88), Depay (90+3); Mirallas (27)
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Arsenal - Cardiff 0-0​
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Chelsea - Manchester City 4-0
Lewandowski (10, 53), Neymar (37), Nastasic o.g. (60)
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Sunday 24th January 2016:

Manchester United - West Brom 3-0​
Smalling (37), Hernandez (56), Vidic (82)
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Ray

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season.

​
This week he takes on American actor and Tottenham fan Ray Liotta. Ray is best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas and for his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams. He has won an Emmy Award and been nominated for Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.

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Lawro vs Tottenham fan Ray Liotta

​
A correct result is worth ONE point. A correct score earns THREE points.

Liverpool - Newcastle
Ray Liotta: I can see this as a draw, both of them are big clubs. 2-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I think the Magpies will prevail in a close encounter here. 1-2.

Crystal Palace - Manchester City
Ray Liotta: I doubt the Citizens will drop points in this game. 0-4.
Mark Lawrenson: I second that, Palace just don't have the quality to stop them even at home. 1-3.

Nottingham Forest - Arsenal
Ray Liotta: Ah, Arsenal - simple call then. 0-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I can't think of anything but a routine away win in this one. 0-1.

Tottenham - Everton
Ray Liotta: We just have to win this, it's a home game after all. 2-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I think I will back the visitors to get a draw here - 2-2.

Blackburn - Chelsea
Ray Liotta: Easy call - 0-2.
Mark Lawrenson: The most certain visitors win in the round for me. 1-3.

Manchester United - Swansea
Ray Liotta: Another easy call - 2-0.
Mark Lawrenson: Can't imagine the Red Devils will fail to book a win here, they are on a hot streak. 3-1.

Last week, Lawro got four results right, with no perfect scores. His score of 4 was too good for the predictions of Manchester City fan Noel Gallagher, who scored 2, managing two correct results with no perfect scores.

Total scores after Week Twenty Three
Lawro: 98
Guests: 80
 
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Premier League
Round 24

Tuesday 26th January 2016:​

Liverpool - Newcastle 1-3
​
van Wolfswinkel (9); Remy (6), Lamela (15, 84)​
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Crystal Palace - Manchester City 0-4​
Ronaldo (22), Messi (23), Jovetic (81, 82)
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Nottingham Forest - Arsenal 0-3
Hodson sent off (57), Tettey sent off (57); Cavani (14), Bernard (20), Wanyama (83)​
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Tottenham - Everton 0-0
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Wednesday 27th January 2016:

Blackburn - Chelsea 0-5
Okore sent off (56); Neymar (4), Hazard (37, 66), Falcao (58, 81)
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Manchester United - Swansea 3-0
Vorm o.g. (48), Hernandez (68), Jones (90)
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League Table:

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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Floyd

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season.

​
This week he takes on American professional boxer and Manchester United fan Floyd Mayweather Jr. who is currently unbeaten on professional level. Floyd has won eight world titles and the lineal championship in three different weight classes. He is the WBC welterweight champion, WBA super welterweight champion, WBC Super welterweight champion, recipient of the WBC diamond super welterweight belt, current Ring No. 1 ranked welterweight and junior middleweight. He is also rated as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world by many sporting news and boxing websites. Mayweather topped the Forbes and Sports Illustrated lists of the 50 highest-paid athletes of 2012 and 2013 currently making Mayweather the highest paid athlete in the world.

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Lawro vs Manchester United fan Floyd Mayweather Jr.

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A correct result is worth ONE point. A correct score earns THREE points.

Arsenal - Liverpool
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: This sounds like an even match. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll back the Gunners here. 2-1.

Manchester City - Nottingham Forest
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: I think the Citizens will win this, even if I wish otherwise. 2-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I second that - 4-1.

Chelsea - Crystal Palace
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: This seems like definite home win. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: It should be a walk in the park, sorry, Bridge. 4-0.

Newcastle - Tottenham
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: This one could deliver a shock. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll back the champions for a win here. 2-1.

Everton - Manchester United
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: Uneven game, can't see a surprise. 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I agree. 1-2.

Last week, Lawro got six results right, with no perfect scores. His score of 6 was good enough to beat the predictions of Tottenham fan Ray Liotta, who scored 5, managing three correct results with one perfect score.

Total scores after Week Twenty Four
Lawro: 104
Guests: 85
 
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Premier League
Round 25

Saturday 30th January 2016:

​
Arsenal - Liverpool 2-1
​
Cavani (10), Candreva (61); Matuidi (42)
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Manchester City - Nottingham Forest 3-0
Ronaldo (17, 40, 90+3)
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Sunday 31st January 2016:

Chelsea - Crystal Palace 3-1
Falcao (7, 77), Neymar (13); Pilkington (2)
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Newcastle - Tottenham 2-1
Salvio (84, 89); Diego Costa (76)
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Everton - Manchester United 2-1​
Martins (77), Distin (83); Alba (8)
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League Table:

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Gary Lineker: Good evening and welcome to Match of the Day for our thoughts on the 2015/16 Premier League season! It seems the race will be as tight as ever this time around and as we all know it is those direct 6-pointer clashes that play a decisive part in deciding who will fly and who will fall. For this reason we will be focusing solely on those giant games in Match of the Day. Stay with us as Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer aid me on analyzing the key aspects of what happened and why it happened for you!

Newcastle - Tottenham
2-1
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Gary Lineker: The champions entered yet another title contender derby with no space for error after Chelsea and Man City had already won their games and Man United were to play in the same time. Spurs weren't able to pull a top four push this season but remained serious opposition. It showed what complacency could do to you with 15 minutes to go - the Magpies couldn't find a way to unlock the Spurs defense and one of the visitors' rare counters produced a shocking opener when Diego Costa broke free and scored! Newcastle substitute Eduardo Salvio came to the rescue with two late goals though and the hosts somehow survived the late horror show at Saint James' Park!
Alan Hansen: It was peculiar to see Newcastle misfire in so many attempts - they had five clear cut chances to none for the visitors, and Spurs got a goal with only their second shot on target! Perhaps the reason that the visitors held on for so long was they prevailed in the tackling and especially heading department and in any other game the Diego Costa goal would have been the winner. But when you have someone of Salvio's caliber on the bench it can always change a game - and Eduardo deserved the spotlight after enduring several bad injuries this season!
Alan Shearer: No surprise that he also got the PoM award! Lamela also impressed, crafting the winner. Januzaj and Depay were a little rusty though and missed no less than 10 chances between themselves before leaving with 25 minutes to go! Higuain and Lichtsteiner were particularly ineffective for Spurs, but Diego Costa and Andre Ayew combined pretty well for the opener.
Gary Lineker: This win allows Newcastle to stay top of the table and the spot is theirs to keep after Man United suffered a shock defeat.
 

Wonderkid Markus Grimm the future of Newcastle

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Rob Lee
Published at 10:31PM, January 31 2016

Not many paid serious attention when Newcastle signed Markus Grimm from Stuttgart in the summer of 2014, just 18 months ago. The deal was announced on the same day as the then-record breaking transfer of Luis Suarez and it understandably drew all the attention away from a promising prospect for the future. Dimiter Hristov has shown he doesn't buy players for the sake of it though - even youngsters - and Grimm has made his breakthrough this season, taking advantage of numerous injuries of senior inside forwards. Grimm has 12 starts and 6 appearances from the bench this campaign, scoring 6 goals and creating another 5 and he has earned the "wonderkid" tag!

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Markus Grimm in 2014 and today​

As you can see, Grimm has come leaps and bound to improve his mental, technical and physical ability, as well as improve his speed even further! If he can put some more training to advance his impressive attacking skills, Newcastle will have a genuine world class player at their hands!
 
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January Watch

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Premier League Table

The Contenders:

​
Newcastle (1st; 62pts; +45) - the Magpies picked up 12 points this month and remain top of the league but their lead is now just two points!
Player of the month: Erik Lamela 8.32
0 Current first team injuries.

Manchester City (2nd; 60pts; +43) - the Citizens picked up 13 points this month and climbed one position to become the challengers closest to leaders Newcastle!
Player of the month: Lionel Messi 7.72
2 Current first team injuries:
Yaya Toure - 3-4 weeks (twisted ankle)
Sergio Aguero - 1-4 days (twisted ankle)

Chelsea (3rd; 60pts; +41) - the Blues picked up 13 points this month and also climbed one position but inferior goal difference doesn't allow them to overcome Man City.
Player of the month: Falcao 8.04
3 Current first team injuries:
Mats Hummels - 6-8 weeks (hip injury)
Sergio Ramos - 2-3 weeks (strained knee ligaments)
David Luiz - 6 days (virus)

Manchester United (4th; 59pts; +41) - the Red Devils managed 12 points this month which is enough to stay close enough to Newcastle - but they also drop down 2 positions in the table.
Player of the month: Jordi Alba 7.74
3 Current first team injuries:
Nani - 3-5 weeks (torn calf muscle)
Angel Di Maria - 1-4 days (twisted ankle)
Wayne Rooney - 2-3 months (torn calf muscle)

Tottenham (5th; 42pts; +15) - Spurs picked up 7 points this month which means they remain solid in fifth with little chance to move either direction in the table.
Player of the month: Miralem Pjanic 7.58
2 Current first team injuries:
Younes Kaboul - 2-3 weeks (hernia)
Aaron Lennon - 2-5 days (twisted knee)

Arsenal (7th; 36pts; +9) - the Gunners picked up 9 points and climbed another position in the table - they are now six points behind rivals Spurs!
Player of the month: Victor Wanyama 7.28
0 Current first team injuries.

Other teams to watch:​

Stoke (6th) - the Potters still appear to be the most likely challenger for Europa League qualification outside the predicted top dogs.

Blackburn (11th) - the promoted club climbed two positions in the table and can aim at top ten finish!

Leeds (15th) - the promoted club climbed out of the bottom three but 3 points difference isn't enough to let them feel calm yet.

Liverpool (17th) - the promoted club dropped 5 positions in the table this month and are just above the bottom 3!

Swansea, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace occupy the bottom three - the Swans are a win away from getting out but Forest and Palace need to start picking up points fast before the gap becomes too huge for them!

January Player of the Month:
Falcao (Chelsea)
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January Young Player of the Month:
Anthony Martial (Hull)
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January Manager of the Month:
Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)
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Leading Goalscorers:
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Chelsea sell center back Gary Cahill (30) to Blackburn for 3.7 million pounds
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Manchester City sell commanding center back Adil Rami (30) to Liverpool for 11.25 million pounds
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Arsenal buy midfielder Petko Vasilev (19) from Atletico Madrid for 5.75 million pounds
Arsenal send Petko Vasilev to Hull on loan
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Manchester City sell midfielder Fernandinho (30) to Atletico Mineiro for 2.0 million pounds
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Tottenham buy winger Antonio Valencia (30) from Real Madrid for 6.75 million pounds
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Tottenham buy striker Paul McWilliams (17) from Nottingham Forest for 5.0 million pounds
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Newcastle send striker Alberto Cerri (19) to Aston Villa on loan for 200k pounds p/m
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Newcastle send fullback Robert Partington (17) to Everton on loan for 200k pounds p/m
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Transfer Market is now CLOSED!​
 
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Lana

BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson is pitting his wits against a different guest each week this season.

​
This week he takes on American singer-songwriter and Liverpool fan Lana Del Rey. Elizabeth Grant's music, as is her real name, has been noted for its cinematic sound and its references to various aspects of pop culture, particularly that of the 1950s and 1960s Americana. The singer has described herself as a "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra". Before signing to a major record label, Del Rey provided sole production of her music videos. Musically, she draws influence from what she deems to be the masters of each genre, including Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, Janis Joplin, Nirvana, Eminem, Bruce Springsteen and Britney Spears, as well as from poetry and film noir. In 2013, she received her first Grammy nominations at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.

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Lawro vs Liverpool fan Lana Del Rey

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A correct result is worth ONE point. A correct score earns THREE points.

Manchester City - Blackburn
Lana Del Rey: That's two strong ones, no? 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: This will be a real test for the Citizens but I can see them coming on top in the end - 3-1.

Newcastle - Everton
Lana Del Rey: Another two strong teams, should be a draw. 2-2.
Mark Lawrenson: The Magpies can't afford slip ups, especially at home, and they need to keep going with three other clubs hot on their trail. 3-1.

Arsenal - Crystal Palace
Lana Del Rey: The Gunners should win this. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: Can't see how Palace will hold them off, really. 2-0.

Cardiff - Manchester United
Lana Del Rey: The Red Devils are too good. 0-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I think Man United should prevail in this one. 1-3.

Swansea - Tottenham
Lana Del Rey: Not much of a contest, the Swans are weak. 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I feel Swansea might pull a fight at home in this one. 2-2.

Chelsea - Aston Villa
Lana Del Rey: Not a chance this world or another. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: The Blues should make it look easy in this one. 4-1.

Last week, Lawro got four results right, with two perfect scores. His score of 8 was too good for the predictions of Manchester United fan Floyd Mayweather Jr., who scored 2, managing two correct results with no perfect scores.

Total scores after Week Twenty Five
Lawro: 112
Guests: 87
 
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