The eight Premier League stars are on the road again, this time in Exeter at the Westpoint Arena where Michael van Gerwen will be seeking a fourth straight victory.
Mighty Mike got off the mark on Night Two at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin and has followed up on the last two Thursday’s in Glasgow and Newcastle to assume early control of the Premier League standings.
The Dutchman has built up a nice cushion at the top, having taken 15 points from four weeks of action, but there is a long way to go with plenty forecast to change over the next two-and-a-half months.
MVG opens up against world champion Luke Humphries, with the winner set to face Nathan Aspinall or Peter Wright in the last four, while Gerwyn Price meets Rob Cross and Luke Littler locks horns with Michael Smith.
- Michael van Gerwen to beat Luke Humphries
- Peter Wright to beat Nathan Aspinall
- Gerwyn Price to win Week 5
WATCH IN THE ZONE WITH JOHNNY HERBERT
MVG May Have The Measure Of Humphries
Van Gerwen loves the Premier League, having taken the title in six of the last eight years, and he has made a strong start to his defence of the crown with three wins from the opening four nights of action.
In the Night Three final in Glasgow, Van Gerwen defeated Humphries 6-5 and, having now won six of their last seven meetings, has Cool Hand Luke’s measure on current form.
Humphries was also beaten in a final-leg decider in last week’s quarter-final against Cross, suggesting that he may be struggling to get over the line since winning his maiden World Championship title in January.
And this is not a good time to be facing the fired-up Dutchman, who has lost only five of his 31 matches since his World Championship quarter-final exit at the hands of Scott Williams.
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN TO BEAT LUKE HUMPHRIES
Snakebite Can Stop The Rot
After four weeks of action, Wright still awaits his first win of the Premier League campaign, but there are reasons to think his fortunes could change in Exeter.
Winning the event may be beyond Wright but he can reach his first semi-final with victory over Aspinall, who had suffered three first-round exits prior to last Thursday’s runner-up effort to Van Gerwen in Newcastle.
Snakebite averaged 103.37 and fired in six maximums in a cruel 6-5 loss to Litter in last week’s quarter-final, which came hot on the heels of a semi-final run at Players Championship 4, all of which suggests he is slowly finding his groove again.
PETER WRIGHT TO BEAT NATHAN ASPINALL
Price Might Be Right On The Night
Price is sixth in the early standings but, having finished runner-up to Smith on Night One in Cardiff, he may finally be ready to get off the mark.
The Welsman has enjoyed mixed success in the Premier League since the opening night on home soil, but one thing that is evident is that his averages have been consistently up to scratch.
Last week Price lost 6-4 to eventual winner Van Gerwen in his quarter-final but averaged 99.09 while his 6-3 semi-final defeat to Humphries in Glasgow prior to that came despite an average of 97.91.
The difference for the Welshman this week, however, is he has the draw to work with as he opens up against Cross before a semi-final showdown with Littler or Smith, avoiding dangermen Van Gerwen and Humphries until the final.
Cross is a little in-and-out at present so Price can come through that opening test while Littler is currently operating below the levels we became accustomed to when he finished runner-up at the World Championship.
Smith, meanwhile, looked a little flat in his 6-5 loss to Aspinall in last week’s quarter-final, highlighting that he is a long way off his World Championship-winning best, making Price the potential outright value.
