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

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you had an amazingly close season before... this one looks like it could be close too
 
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March Watch

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Premier League Table

The Contenders:

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Newcastle (1st; 77pts; +63) - the Magpies picked up just 6 points this month and saw their lead at the top cut down to just 3 over second placed Man United!
Player of the month: Marquinhos - 8.20
3 Current first team injuries:
Alex Sandro - 1 day (damaged shoulder)
Gino Peruzzi - 1-2 days (pulled hamstring)
Javi Martinez - 3 weeks (sprained ankle)

Manchester United (2nd; 74pts; +41) - the Red Devils picked up 10 points this month and climbed another position in the league table - which puts them right behind Newcastle three points shy of top spot!
Player of the month: Marco Verratti - 7.82
0 Current first team injuries.

Chelsea (3rd; 71pts; +42) - the Blues picked up only 5 points this month which sees them slide one position down in the table and they are now six points off leaders Newcastle.
Player of the month: Falcao - 7.30
4 Current first team injuries:
Sergio Ramos - 5-7 days (twisted knee)
Eden Hazard - 3-5 weeks (torn hamstring)
Oscar - 6-8 weeks (broken lower leg)
Juan Mata - 10-12 days (twisted knee)

Manchester City (4th; 69pts; +61) - the Citizens picked up 13 points this month which puts them back in the top four although they are eight points away from the top and will need a lot to go their way in the remaining fixtures to get a real shot at the title.
Player of the month: Alex Grimaldo - 7.64
1 Current first team injury:
Arturo Vidal - 1 day (bruised shin)

Blackburn (5th; 67pts; +48) - Rovers picked up 7 points this month and stepped out of the top four although they are just two points off that - but the title fight is almost certainly out of their reach now.
Player of the month: Romelu Lukaku - 7.66
2 Current first team injuries:
Douglas - 1 day (strained neck)
Jack Rodwell - 5-7 weeks (hip injury)

Arsenal (7th; 57pts; +25) - the Gunners picked up just 1 point this month and continue to struggle for form as they slided yet another position in the table, European qualification now under serious threat.
Player of the month: Bernard - 7.80
1 Current first team injury:
Lukasz Fabianski - 6-9 days (sprained wrist)

Other teams to watch:​

Leeds (6th) - the Whites climbed one position in the table and are now in the driving seat to secure Europa League quota.

Tottenham (8th) - Spurs remain in the same position and qualification for Europe is pretty much in sight if they can pip Leeds and Arsenal to it.

Derby County, Bolton and West Ham occupy the bottom three - the former two are still just a win away from safety but the Hammers are still massive 10 points adrift and with just seven games remaining until the end of the season appear to be doomed to relegation.

March Player of the Month:
Adam Lallana (Blackburn)
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March Young Player of the Month:
Alberto Cerri (Aston Villa)
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March Manager of the Month:
David Moyes (Manchester United)
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Leading Goalscorers:
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Del Boy

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 British professional boxer and Manchester United fan Dereck Chisora. Dereck is based in London and competes in the heavyweight division. He was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and has won 20 out of his 24 matches, 13 of which were knockout wins.

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Lawro vs Manchester United fan Dereck Chisora

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

Derby County - Newcastle
Dereck Chisora: The Magpies won't lose points again in this one. 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: I also don't think we can expect a surprise at Pride Park - 0-4.

Manchester City - Blackburn
Dereck Chisora: This will be a tough game for Man City. 1-1.
Mark Lawrenson: I think the Citizens have enough quality to beat Blackburn at the Etihad. 3-0.

Bolton - Manchester United
Dereck Chisora: This is a big must-win game for us and Bolton will feel the pain. 0-4.
Mark Lawrenson: The Red Devils are the better team by far and it will show. 1-4.

Chelsea - Stoke
Dereck Chisora: The Blues should be beating the likes of Stoke and I'll say that's what's gonna happen. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll back the visitors to get something in this one. 1-1.

Arsenal - Tottenham
Dereck Chisora: This is a big derby and I expect the spoils to be shared in the end. 2-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I actually think Arsenal have been very bad over a very long time now and Spurs will exploit that. 1-3.

Last week, Lawro got no results right, with no perfect scores. His score of 0 was good enough for nothing against the predictions of Tottenham fan Adele, who scored 4, managing two correct results with one perfect score.

Total scores after Week Thirty One
Lawro: 122
Guests: 108
 
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Premier League
Round 32

Saturday 1st April 2017:

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Manchester City - Blackburn 4-0
Messi (5), Sigurdsson (pen 9), Ronaldo (38), Aguero (78)​
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Chelsea - Stoke 3-0
Fabregas (17), Lewandowski (45+1, 57)
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Bolton - Manchester United 2-5
Rafael o.g. (9), Rantie (43); Bale (3, 20), Icardi (19), Rooney (75), Kagawa (78)
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Derby County - Newcastle 0-6
Ben Arfa (3), Santon (20), Balotelli (23, 90), Baines (57), Suarez (77)
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Monday 3rd April 2017:

Arsenal - Tottenham 4-3
Wilshere (41), Aubameyang (54, 61), Cavani (86); Kaboul (10), Benzema (27), Kaboul sent off (64), Pique o.g. (81)
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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 2016/17 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 City - Blackburn
4-0
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Gary Lineker: Man City entertained Blackburn in a clash of two sides separated by just two points before kick-off. Away victory would have allowed Rovers to overtake their hosts in the table but the Citizens needed nothing less than 3 points to remain in the title fight. Man City made sure that happened by coming out all guns blazing and a quickfire double from Messi and Sigurdsson penalty gave them a good lead in the opening ten minutes. Ronaldo added a third before half time and all but sealed the home win. The home team weren't done though and Aguero inflicted even further damage on the sinking Rovers ship by completing the rout with 12 minutes to go.
Alan Hansen: Once again it was all Manchester City in a title contenders clash - watching them play in these games makes you wonder how they are so low in the table. Blackburn matched them in most components of the game and it still wasn't enough to even get a consolation goal as the tremendous amount of talent in the home team duly delivered a crushing result!
Alan Shearer: Aguero, Messi, Nastasic, Zabaleta and Hart were all top notch this game but Grimaldo stole the show with a PoM performance. It was a miserable outing for Lallana, Trindade de Vilhena and Vertonghen although Marcelo was appalling and managed to get himself injured on top of it.
Gary Lineker: I guess this result all but ends Blackburn's top four aspirations while it keeps Man City on the fringes for the title fight.
 
English Title Contenders European Watch

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Quarter Final First Leg

Tuesday 4th April 2017:

Manchester City - Galatasaray 4-1
Gotze (8, 19), Messi (9, 28); Drogba (39)
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Napoli - Manchester United 1-2
Menez (62); Icardi (32, 79)
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Wednesday 5th April 2017:

Valencia - Newcastle 1-3
Vydra (31); Suarez (51), Depay (53), Debuchy (66)
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Athletic Bilbao - Chelsea 2-0
Navarrete (pen 20), Velez (78); Umtiti sent off (77)
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Quarter Final Second Leg

Thursday 6th April 2017:

Juventus - Dinamo Zagreb 3-0 (5-1)

Wolfsburg - Lyon 3-0 (4-0)

Arsenal - Spartak Moscow 2-1 (4-3)
Ozil (19), Bernard (22); Movsisyan (5)
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CSKA Moscow - Tottenham 2-2 (2-7)
Musa (36), Guidetti (80); Benzema (46), Diego Costa (68)
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Mel C

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

​
This week he takes on British singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman and Liverpool fan Melanie Chisholm, professionally known as Melanie C or Mel C. She is one of the five members of the Spice Girls, in which she was nicknamed "Sporty Spice". With the Spice Girls, Chisholm toured the world and sold over 100 million records worldwide. As a solo artist, Mel C has sold more than 12 million records. She has been nominated for BRIT and ECHO awards. She currently is the female artist with the thirdmost number-one singles in the United Kingdom. Chisholm has also received critical acclaim for her starring roles in the West End production of Blood Brothers and the British arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

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Lawro vs Liverpool fan Mel C

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

Q.P.R. - Manchester City
Mel C: Can't see past City here. 0-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I actually think Rangers are doomed, especially after watching how Man City play recently. 0-5.

Blackburn - Arsenal
Mel C: Rovers should win this. 3-1.
Mark Lawrenson: I thing the Gunners have recovered from their terrible form over the past two months and will take this. 1-2.

Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United games postponed

Last week, Lawro got three results right, with no perfect scores. His score of 3 was not good enough to beat the predictions of Manchester United fan Dereck Chisora, who scored 5, managing three correct results with one perfect score.

Total scores after Week Thirty Two
Lawro: 125
Guests: 113
 

Gary Lineker: Good evening and welcome to Match of the Day for our thoughts on the 2016/17 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!

Blackburn - Arsenal
2-0
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Gary Lineker: Blackburn welcomed Arsenal at Ewood Park needing a win to keep their top four ambitions alive while the Gunners needed to take something from the game in order to stay in the frame for the Europa League quotas. Rovers were definitely on better form and it showed as Benteke and former Arsenal captain Vermaelen scored once in each half to give the home side an important win.
Alan Hansen: It was a very even match and I actually thought Arsenal were a little bit better but the first goal went Rovers' way and it made it much easier for the hosts. The Gunners missed a couple cut-edge chances before the second went in and after that it was easy for Blackburn.
Alan Shearer: Vermaelen got the PoM award and there were a number of good displays in the home team as well, most notably from Vertonghen, Marcelo, Lallana and Benteke. Wilshere was a pale shadow of his usual self and missed a number of good chances for Arsenal.
Gary Lineker: This win allows Blackburn to claw within three points of fourth placed Man City although the Gunners are now definitely out of that race and face a real fight with Leeds and Tottenham for Europa League.
 
English Title Contenders European Watch

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Quarter Final Second Leg

Tuesday 11th April 2017:

Chelsea - Athletic Bilbao 0-0 (0-2)
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Newcastle - Valencia 9-1 (12-2)
Zouma (2), Hughes (28), Grimm (41, 49, 84), Suarez (54, 89), Donovan (80), Januzaj (83); Jucilei (66)
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Wednesday 12th April 2017:

Galatasaray - Manchester City 2-2 (3-6)
Bruma (41, 42); Messi (20), Ronaldo (pen 22)
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Manchester United - Napoli 3-1 (5-2)
Bale (50), Rooney (pen 78), Reina o.g. (84); Fernando (45+3)​
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Premier League predictions: Lawro v Will

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 American comedian, impressionist, actor, producer, writer and Chelsea fan Will Ferrell. Ferrell established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Stranger Than Fiction, Anchorman, School, Elf. He is considered a member of the "Frat Pack", a generation of leading Hollywood comic actors who emerged in the late 1990s and the 2000s, including Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and brothers Owen and Luke Wilson.

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Lawro vs Chelsea fan Will Ferrell

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

Manchester United - Arsenal
Will Ferrell: I think the Red Devils will win this. 2-0.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll go for a surprise in this one, I don't think the Gunners can win but they might be underestimated and exploit that. 2-2.

Newcastle - Nottingham Forest
Will Ferrell: Can't see anything else but a home win here. 3-0.
Mark Lawrenson: The way the Magpies have been playing recently it could be floodgates opened. 5-0.

Hull - Chelsea
Will Ferrell: We should be winning these away games. 0-3.
Mark Lawrenson: While Hull are not on Chelsea's level they could take advantage of being at home. 1-1.

Tottenham - Manchester City
Will Ferrell: This should be an even match and probably the Citizens will prevail - 1-2.
Mark Lawrenson: I'll go for a draw in this one. 1-1.

Blackburn - Southampton
Will Ferrell: Rovers should win this one. 3-1.
Mark Lawrenson: The Saints have plenty of class and might get a result here. 1-2.

Last week, Lawro got no results right, with no perfect scores. His score of 0 was way too poor for the predictions of Liverpool fan Melanie C, who scored 1, managing one correct result with no perfect scores.

Total scores after Week Thirty Three
Lawro: 125
Guests: 114
 
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Premier League
Round 34

Saturday 15th April 2017:

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Manchester United - Arsenal 4-0
Kagawa (15, 37, 72), Icardi (57)​
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Hull - Chelsea 0-1
Neymar (32)
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Newcastle - Nottingham Forest 2-1
Lamela (35), Alvarez Balanta (86); Mandron (9), Lansbury sent off (90+2)
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Tottenham - Manchester City 0-0
Paulinho sent off (90+4)
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Sunday 16th April 2017:

Blackburn - Southampton 4-0
Alexis Sanchez (11), Benteke (62, 75), van Ginkel (85)
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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 2016/17 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 - Arsenal
4-0
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Gary Lineker: Man United welcomed old rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford looking for a win to stay in touching distance behind leaders Newcastle. The Gunners were also desperate for points as their terrible slump threatened to leave them out of contention for European football next season. Shinji Kagawa had no form problems though and gave the hosts a comfortable first half lead with a brace. Icardi added a third after the break and Kagawa went on to complete his hattrick and the final score which leaves Arsenal wondering if they can salvage their season.
Alan Hansen: Once again the Gunners were second best in a big clash - I didn't see how they would compete even for a draw as the game went on. They aim to keep possession although when they have the ball their players look to have no idea what to do with it. In this match they were totally outplayed in the air as well. It was a routine performance for the Red Devils and perhaps the result flatters them a bit but it was three points in the bag against one of their usually uncomfortable rivals and that's what matters.
Alan Shearer: Of course Kagawa grabbed the PoM award but there were strong performances by Icardi, Iniesta, Bale, Evans and Walker as well. No away players impressed although De Sciglio, Nkoulou and Pique were very poor in defense while Ramsey and Wilshere were simply awful.
Gary Lineker: Man United remain just three points behind Newcastle in the title chase after this clash but it seems Arsenal will be praying Tottenham don't catch up with them as Spurs are just three points behind them in the race for 7th.
 
English Title Contenders European Watch

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Semi Final First Leg

Tuesday 18th April 2017:

Athletic Bilbao - Manchester United 2-1
Etzebarria (21), Txarterina (29); Bale (73)
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Wednesday 19th April 2017:

Newcastle - Manchester City 3-3
Baines (43), Remy (46), Balotelli (pen 70); Ronaldo (62, 82), Alaba sent off (69), Messi (81)
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Semi Final First Leg

Thursday 20th April 2017:

Wolfsburg - Juventus 1-3

Tottenham - Arsenal 2-0
Benzema (13), Yanga-Mbiwa (38)
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KevinHann said:
Newcastle - Manchester City 3-3
Baines (43), Remy (46), Balotelli (pen 70); Ronaldo (62, 82), Alaba sent off (69), Messi (81)
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Click to expand...

Can't believe we wasted such a golden opportunity to put this beyond contest! Instead we will be facing an uphill challenge at the Etihad and yet again it seems like it will not be our year in the Champions League this season :(
 
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