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

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Newcastle - Chelsea 2-0
Grimm (78), Suarez (81); Hummels sent off (46)

Must admit we stroke lucky in this game but we simply should have scored more after the red card - not sure a two-goal lead will be enough for the return fixture at Stamford Bridge!

Interesting results in the other fixtures - could Man City lose to Napoli? Are Swansea on way for a third final and possibly third Europa League trophy out of three seasons against all odds?!
 
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Michelle

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

This week he takes on English actress and Manchester City fan Michelle Keegan, who is best known for playing Tina McIntyre in the soap opera Coronation Street from 2008 to 2014. She attended St Patrick's RC High School in Salford, and later the Manchester School of Acting. Keegan worked at Selfridges in the Trafford Centre shopping mall and as a check-in agent at Manchester Airport. She went out with Hollyoaks and Emmerdale actor Anthony Quinlan from 2006 to 2008 and the model Brad Howard from 2008 until 2010. She was engaged to The Wanted's Max George after meeting him at one of their concerts in December 2010. They broke up in mid-2012. She began dating Mark Wright in December 2012. On 9 September 2013, it was confirmed the two were engaged. She has dated, engaged and broke up with a dozen other models, actors and musicians over the past two years.

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Lawro vs Manchester City fan Michelle Keegan

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

Leeds - Newcastle
Michelle Keegan: I can see a surprise here. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: This is a tough game for the Magpies but I expect them to win it. 0-2.

Q.P.R. - Manchester City
Michelle Keegan: We should win this easily, really, who are Q.P.R.? 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I don't think the Citizens can afford a mistake here, and they are way too good for Rangers. 1-3.

Tottenham - Blackburn
Michelle Keegan: I'll back Rovers. 1-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I don't think Spurs will win this and am inclined to predict a draw. 1-1.

Stoke - Chelsea
Michelle Keegan: This will end up in tears for Chelsea. 1-0.
Mark Lawrenson: Emotions aside, the Blues will murder them. 1-5.

Hull - Arsenal
Michelle Keegan: Away win, easy to see. 1-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I also think the Gunners will take this. 0-2.

Manchester United - Aston Villa
Michelle Keegan: You won't hear me back Man United. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: This should be a routine home win. 3-1.

Last week, Lawro got four results right, with two perfect scores. His score of 8 was too good for the predictions of Arsenal fan Jay-Z, who scored 6, managing four correct results with one perfect score.

Total scores after Week Thirty Five
Lawro: 162
Guests: 126
 
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Premier League
Round 36

Saturday 23rd April 2016:

Leeds - Newcastle 1-5
Subotic (90+1); Remy (33), Hughes (34), Grimm (42), Baines (49), Donovan (77)
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Tottenham - Blackburn 0-1
Bony (1)
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Q.P.R. - Manchester City 1-3
Downing (49); Aguero (45+1), Messi (50), Ronaldo (71)
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Stoke - Chelsea 0-2
Lewandowski (9), Willian (12)
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Sunday 24th April 2016:


Hull - Arsenal 1-3
Austin (78); Candreva (31, 40, 88)
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Manchester United - Aston Villa 0-0
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League Table:

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English Title Contenders European Watch
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Semi Final First Leg

Tuesday 26th April 2016:

Manchester City - Napoli 2-0 (2-1)
Ronaldo (37), Messi (49)

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Wednesday 27th April 2016:

Chelsea - Newcastle 5-1 (5-3)
Hazard (11, 45+1), Fabregas (61), Neymar (67), Falcao (79), Moreno sent off (90+2); Lamela (44)
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Semi Final First Leg

Thursday 28th April 2016:

Leverkusen - Manchester United 2-2 (2-5)
Kiessling (58), Leschinski (72); Pogba (2), Hernandez (49)
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Arsenal - Swansea 3-1 (4-3)
Wilshere (2), El Shaarawy (21), Cavani (81); Chadli (66)
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Chelsea - Newcastle 5-1 (5-3)
Hazard (11, 45+1), Fabregas (61), Neymar (67), Falcao (79), Moreno sent off (90+2); Lamela (44)

And a heavy loss at Stamford Bridge makes us regret scoring just two at home in the first leg... Dreading the prospect of going to the same ground in the title decider derby on the final day of the league! Additionally this is the second season in a row we come close but fail one or two steps away from the trophy.

Both European tournaments will have an all-English final this season - but Swansea have finally lost in the Europa League!
 
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v sir Frank

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

This week he takes on the founder and team principal of the Williams F1 Formula One racing team and Tottenham fan sir Francis Williams. A car accident in March 1986 in France resulted in Williams sustaining a spinal cord injury and becoming tetraplegic. While driving a rental Ford Sierra car to Nice airport, Williams lost control of the vehicle which then rolled over causing him to be pressed between his seat and the roof resulting in a spinal fracture between the 4th and 5th vertebra. Since the accident he has used a wheelchair. Williams was knighted in 1999.

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Lawro vs Tottenham fan Frank Williams

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

Manchester City - Hull
Frank Williams: The Citizens will win this easily - 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: The only question is how many goals will Man City score. 4-0.

Chelsea - Q.P.R.
Frank Williams: This one is also going to the home side. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I doubt the Blues will make a mistake at Stamford Bridge. 4-1.

Crystal Palace - Tottenham
Frank Williams: We must win this, Palace are going down. 1-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I expect a surprise here, Palace are going to play without pressure. 2-1.

Newcastle - Stoke
Frank Williams: The Magpies will also win easily. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: This will likely turn into a who will score more and the champions are pretty good at this game. 4-0.

Arsenal - Cardiff
Frank Williams: I'd like to say otherwise but I can't see how the Gunners will not win this. 3-1.
Mark Lawrenson: The Gunners will take this easily. 2-0.

Blackburn - Manchester United

Frank Williams: Now that the Red Devils are not in the title race this might end in a surprise result. 2-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll back the Red Devils here. 1-3.

Last week, Lawro got four results right, with one perfect score. His score of 6 was a perfect match the predictions of Manchester City fan Michelle Keegan, who scored 6, managing four correct results with one perfect score.

Total scores after Week Thirty Six
Lawro: 168
Guests: 132
 
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Premier League
Round 37

Saturday 30th April 2016:

Crystal Palace - Tottenham 2-2
Milner (pen 14, pen 48); Balotelli (19), Benzema (61)
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Manchester City - Hull 3-0
Gotze (15), Messi (32), Ronaldo (60); Huddlestone sent off (44)
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Chelsea - Q.P.R. 2-0
Ivanovic sent off (11), Neymar (72, 86)
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Newcastle - Stoke 5-1
Alvarez Balanta (8, 41), Remy (19), Baines (32), Januzaj (35); Adam (62)
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Sunday 1st May 2016:

Arsenal - Cardiff 4-0
Badelj (20), Isco (48), Candreva (53), Cavani (84); Doumbia sent off (59)
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Monday 2nd May 2016:

Blackburn - Manchester United 3-3
Kroos (8), Robben (51), Marcelo (90+1); Pogba (pen 7, pen 69), Hernandez (31)
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League Table:


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April Watch


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Premier League Table

The Contenders:

Newcastle (1st; 94pts; +77) - the Magpies picked up 15 points and added 15 goals to their tally this month which puts them on top of the league table - they could lose the title even if they beat Chelsea in the last round though if the Citizens score at least three more than them.
Player of the month: Leighton Baines 7.96
1 Current first team injury:
Kurt Zouma - 4-6 weeks (torn hamstring)

Manchester City
(2nd; 94pts; +75) - the Citizens picked up 15 points and added 15 goals to their tally this month which puts them on level points with leaders Newcastle but they need to beat Stoke convincingly to have a chance of winning the title.
Player of the month: Matija Nastasic 7.58
3 Current first team injuries:
Thiago Silva - 3-4 weeks (sprained ankle)
Pablo Zabaleta - 8-14 days (damaged achilles tendon)
Sergio Aguero - 2 weeks (groin strain)

Chelsea
(3rd; 93pts; +62) - the Blues picked up 12 points and added 5 goals to their tally this month which saw them slide down two positions and they now need a win against Newcastle and a Man City loss in the final round to grab the title.
Player of the month: Neymar 7.76
0 Current first team injuries.

Manchester United
(4th; 84pts; +56) - the Red Devils picked up 9 points this month which effectively ended their title bid and sets their current position in stone.
Player of the month: Paul Pogba 7.60
4 Current first team injuries:
Marouane Fellaini - 5-9 days (groin strain)
Angel Di Maria - 4 weeks (fractured ribs)
Nani - 3-5 weeks (torn hamstring)
Robin van Persie - 2-4 weeks (torn calf muscle)

Arsenal (5th; 64pts; +27) - the Gunners picked up 14 points this month and secured 5th position in the final table whatever the outcome in their last two games of the season.
Player of the month: Antonio Candreva 7.92
4 Current first team injuries:
Victor Wanyama - 12-14 days (pulled hamstring)
Theo Walcott - 4-5 weeks (strained knee ligaments)
Stephan El Shaarawy - 3-4 months (broken foot)
Carlos Vela - 2 weeks (twisted ankle)

Tottenham
(6th; 55pts; +12) - Spurs picked up 8 points this month which means they can't go any higher in the table but they will also need at least one point from their final two games of the season to be sure they won't slide down.
Player of the month: Aaron Lennon 7.74
3 Current first team injuries:
Giacomo Bonaventura - 3-7 days (torn hamstring)
Dimitri Payet - 2 months (torn hamstring)
Gonzalo Higuain - 6-7 weeks (lower back stress fracture)

Other teams to watch:

Stoke (7th) - the Potters still have a small chance of pipping Tottenham to 6th but it's looking unlikely at this stage as they need to beat Man City away and hope Spurs lose both their games.

Blackburn (8th) - the promoted club climbed one more position in the table and can get even higher if results go their way on the last day of the season - although 6th is only a mathematical possibility.

Leeds (14th) - the promoted club climbed one position in the table and confirmed safety with one game to go.

Liverpool (17th) - the promoted club got out of the drop zone but will have to at least match Swansea and Cardiff's results on the final day to remain in the top flight.

Swansea, Cardiff and Crystal Palace occupy the bottom three - Palace are the only confirmed relegated team though and both Swansea and Cardiff can pull an escape with a good result if Liverpool fail to win.

April Player of the Month:
Lionel Messi (Manchester City)
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April Young Player of the Month:
Will Hughes (Newcastle)

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April Manager of the Month:
Dimiter Hristov (Newcastle)
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Leading Goalscorers:
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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!

Tottenham - Arsenal
4-0
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Gary Lineker: Tottenham entertained Arsenal at White Hart Lane in a game that had little meaning for the Gunners after they had won all meaningful games of the rivalry this season but was a golden chance for the hosts to finally seal their fifth place and book a place in Europa League. Tottenham got to a flying start with early goals from Diego Costa and Balotelli penalty and the game was suddenly over before it even started. Balotelli got another just before half time and Lennon added a fourth in the closing stages to seal a big win for Spurs and give their fans something to cheer about in an otherwise forgettable season.
Alan Hansen: Arsenal were obviously on vacation already and never really tried. They just had two shots, neither on target which should tell you all about how they approached the game - I felt sorry for the travelling fans, really. Spurs put on a show and to be honest four was the least they could have scored.
Alan Shearer: Of course it is hard to praise any Arsenal players after this game but those at fault for this terrible performance were mostly Vermaeleb, youngster Ajala, Ozil and Wilshere. Diego Costa was amazing for Spurs - he scored a goal, created two more and got the PoM award. He was backed with solid performances from Yanga-Mbiwa, Bertrand, Andre Ayew and two-goal hero Mario Balotelli.
Gary Lineker: This result might have been meaningless for Arsenal but it sealed Tottenham's qualification for Europa League before the final round and I'm sure the home fans will be happy with the manner it was achieved.
 
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v King James

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 basketball player and Liverpool fan LeBron Raymone James. King James played the small forward and power forward positions for the Miami Heat of the NBA. James has won two NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, two NBA Finals MVP Awards, two Olympic gold medals, and NBA scoring title and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He has also been selected to ten NBA All-Star teams, nine All-NBA teams and is the Cleveland Cavaliers' all-time leading scorer. His career achievements and leadership role during Miami's 2012 and 2013 championship runs have led many basketball analysts to consider him the best player in the NBA today.

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Lawro vs Liverpool fan LeBron James

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

Chelsea - Newcastle
LeBron James: I'll back the home side for a win but it won't be enough to win the title. 3-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll side with the champions to somehow clinch three points at Stamford Bridge - but I'm not sure they will achieve the needed result to keep Man City at bay. 1-2.

Arsenal - Q.P.R.
LeBron James: The Gunners will win here. 2-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I also think Arsenal will look to end their season on a high, especially after that embarrassing midweek loss to Tottenham. 3-0.

Manchester City - Stoke
LeBron James: The Citizens will win this and it will bring them the title. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: Man City only need to score three more than Newcastle to win the Premier League so I expect a high scoring game here. 5-1.

Southampton - Manchester United
LeBron James: I'll say a draw for this one. 2-2.
Mark Lawrenson: Neither side is fighting for anything now and I can see a lot of goals. 2-3.

Aston Villa - Tottenham
LeBron James: I see a home win in this one. 2-1.
Mark Lawrenson: Tottenham will be on a high after beating Arsenal and I expect them to keep momentum going. 1-3.

Last week, Lawro got four results right, with no perfect scores. His score of 4 was just not good enough to beat the predictions of Tottenham fan Frank Williams, who scored 7, managing five correct results with one perfect score.

Total scores after Week Thirty Seven
Lawro: 172
Guests: 139
 
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Premier League
Final Round

Sunday 8th May 2016:

Manchester City - Stoke 0-1
Guidetti (88)

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Arsenal - Q.P.R. 3-1
Candreva (9, 45+3), Ozil (78); Hooper (40), Kelly sent off (85)
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Aston Villa - Tottenham 2-3
Cerri (5), Agbonlahor (31); Veljkovic (37), Lennon (59), Balotelli (pen 78)
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Southampton - Manchester United 2-2
Stanciu (29), Ramirez (30); Hernandez (31, 37)
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Chelsea - Newcastle 2-1
Wallace (30), Oscar (50); Suarez (65)
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Final League Table:


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Premier League 2015/16 - holders Chelsea!
 

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!

Chelsea - Newcastle
2-1
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Gary Lineker: Chelsea met Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in the title decider of the last day of the season. The hosts needed a win combined with a shock result in the Man City game to leapfrog both teams and win the Premier League while reigning champions Newcastle would seal a third straight title with a win as long as Man City didn't score three goals more. That didn't happen though as the Blues scored a goal in each half through Wallace and Oscar and the Magpies only managed to pull one back thanks to a Suarez strike.
Alan Hansen: It was much more even than the previous meeting between those two at Stamford Bridge. Chesea were much better in the first hour of the match, their supremacy underlined by massive advantage in set pieces - the Blues had 15 corners opposed to just 2 for the visitors. Then it all turned and the Magpies really pushed for an equalizer after Suarez scored with 25 minutes left. The subs also livened the game up. It was the best half hour the Magpies had on Stamford Bridge this season but their inaccurate shooting ultimately cost them.
Alan Shearer: It was a PoM winning performance for Eden Hazard who created both Chelsea goals. Javi Martinez really disappointed for the Magpies and forced his manager to take him off in the second half but Lamela was pretty decent and created the goal which put his team back in contention.
Gary Lineker: What a thrilling result - both teams knew Man City was struggling to score at home to Stoke and it meant a Chelsea win would bring them the title while a draw would have been enough for Newcastle... To make it even more tense, the Citizens conceded a late goal and lost! The Blues held on and actually clinched what seemed like mission impossible before kick-off - the title is back with Chelsea and Jose Mourinho!
 
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Breaking News

Cardiff_200x200.png

Roberto Martinez has been fired by Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan. In failing to avoid relegation, Martinez's future became uncertain and the club will move forward with a new manager in charge. The former Everton employee had been manager at Cardiff since November 2014. Cardiff were relegated from the Premier League after failing to win any of their last eight games.

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Relegation costs Roberto's Cardiff job

Speculation as to Martinez's replacement at Cardiff City is certainly keeping everyone guessing, with Tony Pulis, Gianfranco Zola and Sam Allardyce being linked to the vacancy. The favorite however remains Alan Pardew, who the oddsmakers believe might make the move to Cardiff City Stadium in the near future.

Odds for next Cardiff manager:
3-1 Alan Pardew (unemployed)
5-1 Tony Pulis (West Brom)
6-1 Gianfranco Zola (Watford)

Odds for next manager to get the sack:
5-4 Brendan Rodgers (Crystal Palace)
5-1 Steve Bruce (Hull)
5-1 Bernd Schuster (Leeds)
 

Brendan Rodgers has been fired by Crystal Palace President Steve Parish. In failing to avoid relegation, Rodgers' future became uncertain and the club will move forward with a new manager in charge. The former Liverpool employee had been manager at Crystal Palace since May 2014. They were relegated from the Premier League despite a three match unbeaten run at the end of the season.

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Relegation costs Rodgers' Crystal Palace job

Speculation as to Rodgers' replacement at Crystal Palace is certainly keeping everyone guessing, with Alan Pardew, Gianfranco Zola and Sam Allardyce being linked to the vacancy. The favorite however remains Roberto Martinez, who the oddsmakers believe might make the move to Selhurst Park in the near future.

Odds for next Crystal Palace manager:
2-1 Roberto Martinez (unemployed)
3-1 Alan Pardew (unemployed)
8-1 Gianfranco Zola (Watford)

Odds for next manager to get the sack:
2-1 Steve Bruce (Hull)
2-1 Bernd Schuster (Leeds)
2-1 Jurgen Klopp (Manchester City)
 
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