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

Lawro’s opponent for this weekend’s Premier League fixtures is punk poet and BBC 6 Music presenter John Cooper Clarke.

Clarke, who is known as the ‘Bard of Salford’, grew up supporting his local team Manchester United.

“I used to go and watch the pre-Munich-disaster United team – they were the ones who got me interested in football,” he told BBC Sport.

Clarke says he can relate to fans who spontaneously break into song with chants during games, explaining: “The terraces are the last vestige of folk music – even though they are not really terraces any more.

“The way they introduce current themes into what are old tunes is amazing really, and how quickly they catch on around the ground – it is organic.”

Clarke is currently standing in for Jarvis Cocker as the presenter of Sunday Service at 16:00 GMT on Sundays on BBC 6 Music.

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth ONE point. Getting the exact score correct earns THREE points.

Last week, Lawro got five correct results from 10 games, including one perfect score.

His score of seven points was beaten by chart-topping DJ, musician and producer Mark Ronson, who picked six correct results, with three perfect scores for a total of 12 points.

We are keeping a record of the totals for Lawro and his guests (below), and showing a table of how the Premier League would look if all of Lawro’s predictions were correct (at the bottom of the page).

LAWRO’S PREDICTIONS

All kick-offs 15:00 GMT unless otherwise stated.

SATURDAY

Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal

Lawro’s prediction: 1-1

John’s prediction: 1-1

Match report

Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea

Lawro’s prediction: 0-2

John’s prediction: 1-3

Match report

Leicester 0-1 Crystal Palace

Lawro’s prediction: 2-1

John’s prediction: 1-0

Match report

Man City 1-1 Hull

Lawro’s prediction: 3-0

John’s prediction: 4-1

Match report

QPR 0-0 Southampton

Lawro’s prediction: 1-2

John’s prediction: 3-1

Match report

Swansea 1-1 Sunderland

Lawro’s prediction: 0-2

John’s prediction: 2-3

Match report

Everton v Liverpool (17:30 GMT)

Unlike the last Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, which finished 3-3, I think this game will be tight and tense.

Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring for Liverpool after only five minutes in last season’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park

It will still be absolutely frenetic but I think both sides will look it as a game it is important not to lose.

Everton are still at the wrong end of the table even after beating Crystal Palace last week, and the last thing they need is to be beaten at home by Liverpool.

Liverpool’s improvement in recent weeks is down to the amount of pace they now have in their team and the last thing Everton will want to do is to pile forward and leave themselves open to counter-attacks.

A point would do them very well, and I think it is the same for Liverpool, even though they are in much better form.

They look a completely different side and if they can keep Daniel Sturridge fit and he can find some form then Liverpool have got a real chance of making the top four.

Lawro’s prediction: 1-1

John’s prediction: The Toffees against the Mickey Mousers! Whose park are they at? Everton’s? I think that will be a low-score draw, and Liverpool are going to have one disallowed in the third minute of the second half. 1-1

Match preview

SUNDAY

Burnley v West Brom (12:00 GMT)

I have not said this too often this season, but Burnley were very disappointing in their defeat by Sunderland last time out.

West Brom also lost, against Tottenham, but they played better than the result suggested.

I am going for a draw here, on the basis that I would expect Baggies boss Tony Pulis to have been drilling his side defensively all week.

They will not be as open as they were against Spurs but there are not many goals in their team either.

West Brom are the joint second-lowest scorers in the Premier League after Aston Villa and I don’t think Pulis has got enough of a goal threat in his team.

Berahino has scored nine of West Brom’s 20 league goals this season

They rely heavily on Saido Berahino up front, and do not score enough goals from other areas.

Pulis will make them more difficult to beat but that is the easier of their two problems to solve – unless they can also score more goals then they will not pull away from the relegation zone.

Lawro’s prediction: 1-1

John’s prediction: I tell you loud and I tell you firmly, it’s going to be 3-2 for Burnley!

Match preview

Newcastle v Stoke (14:05 GMT)

Both of these teams had good wins last week but I think it will be Newcastle who build on the success they had at Hull.

Magpies interim manager John Carver has got the job until the end of the season and has got absolutely nothing to lose, so he will go for Stoke at St James’ Park. I’m going for a home win.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-0

John’s prediction: 1-0

Match preview

West Ham v Man Utd (16:15 GMT)

West Ham have only won one of their last six Premier League games but I think they will give Manchester United some problems defensively.

The pitch is so tight at Upton Park and the Hammers will load the ball in to Andy Carroll, presuming he is fit.

Carroll has scored five Premier League goals this season

Manchester United are in the scramble for the top four. They have been getting good results against teams who are below them and will continue to do so.

But their formation keeps changing and, if there is any weakness there, West Ham will find it – I think Hammers manager Sam Allardyce will turn this into a real battle and I am not sure if United will be able to cope with it.

When I look at what Louis van Gaal has done since taking over at Old Trafford, I would give him 6/10 so far – no more, no less.

Van Gaal has done okay but, with the embarrassment of riches that he has got in his attack, I think he should be doing better.

Lawro’s prediction: 2-1

John’s prediction: I think this is going to go Manchester United’s way, but only just. Why? Wishful thinking, because we could do with three points, at least. We need more than that actually, but I suppose that is the best you can get out of one game. 1-2

Match preview

Lawro was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.

Lawro’s best score: 17 points (week seven v Ossie Ardiles)

Lawro’s worst score: 2 points (week 20 v Steve Wilson)

ARROWS DENOTE DIFFERENCE TO REAL TABLE
POS	TEAM	P	W	D	L	PTS	DIFF	+/-
1.	Chelsea	23	20	3	0	63		0
2.	Man City	23	19	4	0	61		0
3.	Man Utd	23	16	4	3	52		0
4.	Arsenal	23	14	7	2	49		+1
5.	Liverpool	23	13	9	1	48		+2
6.	Everton	23	10	7	6	37		+6
7.	Southampton	23	8	7	8	31		-3
8.	Tottenham	23	7	9	7	28		-2
9.	Stoke	23	7	6	10	27		+1
10.	Hull	23	9	0	14	27		+8
11.	Sunderland	23	6	8	9	26		+3
12.	West Ham	23	6	7	10	25		-4
13.	Crystal Palace	23	7	4	12	25		0
14.	Newcastle	23	5	9	9	24		-3
15.	Aston Villa	23	6	4	13	22		+1
16.	QPR	23	6	3	14	21		+3
17.	Swansea	23	5	4	14	19		-8
18.	Burnley	23	5	4	14	19		-1
19.	West Brom	23	4	5	14	17		-4
20.	Leicester	23	4	3	16	15		0