Luke Littler gets a chance to halt the Luke Humphries express as the two debutants meet in the opening match of Week 9 at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Humphries is seven points clear of the field after completing a hat-trick of Thursday night triumphs in Dublin and he will be hoping his good form continues on the other side of the border.
His clash with Littler should be a blockbuster and they are followed o to the stage by Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.
The two other quarter-finals in a repeat of the Week 1 line-up pit Gerwyn Price against Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross against Peter Wright.
- Michael Smith to beat Michael van Gerwen
- Gerwyn Price most 180s v Nathan Aspinall
- Peter Wright Under 95.5 average v Rob Cross
Smith Can Extend MVG’s Poor Run
The battle of the Lukes does look to be the tie of the round, though the better bets may lie elsewhere with Humphries deservedly getting favouritism against Littler.
The second match on to the stage in Belfast features Smith and Van Gerwen and Bully Boy gets the nod.
Van Gerwen is on a run of four straight first-hurdle falls and his confidence will be taking a hit.
Smith, on the other hand, defied the odds in Dublin last week to beat Littler and also beat Price to reach the final, where Humphries was too strong for him.
They have met twice in the competition this season with a win apiece and Smith is preferred.
MICHAEL SMITH TO BEAT MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
Price Can Tot Up Max Returns
Price snapped a four-week losing streak last Thursday night by reaching the semis where he was pipped 6-5 by Smith.
There was something about the Welshman’s demeanour during his win over Van Gerwen and subsequent defeat by Smith that suggested he hasn’t written off making the top four.
It was his scoring power that was most impressive last week with 10 maximums chucked in across 22 legs, in contrast to Aspinall who hit four in 21 legs.
If Price is feeling right and throwing well his big-scoring becomes hard to counter. He’s the slight favourite and well worth backing to hit the most maximums.
GERWYN PRICE MOST 180S v NATHAN ASPINALL
All Wrong For Wright
When Wright and Cross met in Week 1 it was a scratchy, nervy affair which Voltage won 6-3 despite averaging under 94. Wright averaged under 84.
Since then Cross has gone to stay in the hunt for the play-offs - he’s currently sixth in the table on 11 points - whereas Snakebite is bottom on two points and heading for an early exit.
There have been signs of life with Wright, though he can barely buy a win - just one in eight weeks - and that’s making him edgy.
Last week we suggested Wright would be carried along by Humphries to record a high average and he delivered.
This week, back him to return to his new, unconvincing norm and dip under 95.5.
PETER WRIGHT UNDER 95.5 AVERAGE v ROB CROSS
