Lawro Predicts
Saturday
Blackburn v West Brom
West Brom have now got to start to fight for survival. They have been dragged down after some poor results and they have become a 45-minute team. They will see Blackburn as a bit of a scalp.
Blackburn's win over Man Utd was their best result for a long time. But they are not exactly prolific in front of goal and are still a little bit nervy at home.
Verdict: 2-2
Charlton v Tottenham
Charlton boss Alan Curbishley knows his best 11 players and they are playing well, creating lots of chances and looking good defensively.
Tottenham have made a decent start but I think it could have been better. They haven't got the distraction of Europe and the manager needs to settle on his best team and stick with it for a while. If he upsets one or two players then tough.
Verdict: 2-1
Fulham v Man Utd
The Blackburn loss was such a low ebb for Man Utd. They aren't firing on all cylinders but they are due a performance soon, regardless of their injuries.
Fulham will have to push forward a little bit at home and I feel that will leave them just a little bit open.
Verdict: 0-2
Portsmouth v Newcastle
Newcastle have got a new-found confidence. They are still not there though and missing injured players. They've got a lot to do but have had a couple of steps in the right direction.
Portsmouth are starting to look a bit of a shambles. The manager has had the dreaded vote of confidence and Fratton Park's not the fortress it has been in the last couple of seasons.
Verdict: 1-2
Sunderland v West Ham
Sunderland will be buoyed by last week's victory over Boro. That first win will be a relief to them. The doom and gloom has gone and they'll really start to fight now.
West Ham are a big scalp now and this is their biggest game of the season so far, including Arsenal, because they've done really well and people expect them to go there and win.
Verdict: 1-0
Sunday
Man City v Everton
We should still be at church when this starts shouldn't we? I believe Everton will end their barren run a la Sunderland. There's nothing worse than playing at home when you're losing, so it should take a little pressure off them being away for this one.
It looks like City's luck has deserted them. They were unlucky against Newcastle, Doncaster and Bolton and sometimes as players you think 'what's happening here?'
Verdict: 1-2
Wigan v Bolton
I don't think this will be a classic by any stretch of the imagination. It will be more of a Lancashire hotpot. There is a lot of strength and drive from both teams.
Bolton will have played in Europe but their manager Sam Allardyce has done a great job and leaves no stone unturned as he sets up his side to win games.
Verdict: 1-1
Arsenal v Birmingham
Arsenal were missing some players and had a good result against a young Ajax team in midweek. This is like a direct debit 2-0 - it looks guaranteed.
Can Birmingham create a real threat to Arsenal at the back? I don't see it somehow.
Verdict: 2-0
Aston Villa v Middlesbrough
Boro's results on the back of Europe are not particularly great and they were poor against Sunderland, which means I'll go for Villa.
Villa played well and created lots of chances against Tottenham in their last home game and should've won.
Verdict: 2-1
Liverpool v Chelsea
I think like most of the games between these two, it'll be a draw. This time it might be 1-1 only because of a bit more familiarity.
They aren't classic games because they tend to cancel each other out and I can't see, even with a change of personnel, that there will be a great deal of difference between the two teams.
Verdict: 1-1
English Prem 1st/2nd October
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