Premier League Night 16 Preview – The Premier League of Darts heads to Sheffield for the last night before the PlayOffs. The first match of the Night is a repeat of last week, it’s Luke Littler v Peter Wright. Littler has all but guaranteed top spot in this year’s Premier League. An unbelievable debut season for the teenager. Peter “Snakebite” Wright has had an awful campaign! He sits on just four points going into his last night. He’ll be looking to go out with a bang, however I don’t see any chance of this happening. Luke battered him last week, winning six legs to one. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same scoreline this week. For me, Littler goes through comfortably to the semi-finals.
The Main Event
The second game of the evening is what they call in boxing “The Main Event”. It’s an unbelievably crucial game and the pressure is right on for both players. It’s fourth place Nathan Aspinall against fifth place Michael Smith. One point separates the pair going into the last game. It’s pretty simple really, whoever wins goes to the PlayOffs. It’s basically a knockout game. Smith beat Aspinall last week, which is why he is now only one points off Nathan and has the chance to make it to the final four. One thing I can predict is, that it’s going to be tense. There is so much on the line and only one can make it through. I wouldn’t be placing any bets on this match, as I think it’s impossible to call. If I had to swing one way, I would say Aspinall just edges it. Just because I believe that he can handle the pressure better than Smith and has proven it time and time again. Although, he has narrowly missed out on the PlayOffs in recent times. I think that Nathan has matured and improved and in my opinion, he will get over the line and make it through to the PlayOffs in London.
Next up is “Cool Hand” Luke Humphries against already eliminated Gerwyn Price. Luke Humphries was the winner last week in Leeds. This meant so much to him as he is a big Leeds United fan. It also ended his run of poor results in the Premier League. With his nine darter at the weekend, it looks like Humphries is finding his form at just the right time. It’s not been the best campaign for Price. Last time out he lost 6-3 in the quarter-finals to MVG. The time before, he actually did not play because of an injury to his back. Price has no pressure on him and will just be able to play freely. Saying all that, I still can’t look past a Humphries win.
The last quarter-final of the evening is, already qualified, Michael Van Gerwen playing, already eliminated, Rob Cross. It’s not been a dreadful campaign for Rob however, he would of hoped to reach the PlayOffs and he has failed to do that. Cross is coming off the back of winning a European Tour event in Germany, so he will be full of confidence going into this one. Michael hasn’t been at his best since he won three nightly wins in a row and he’ll be looking to start finding his form with the PlayOffs right round the corner. He did get to the final last week and missed a match dart to win it before Humphries finished it off. Van Gerwen will be hoping to go one step further this week in Sheffield. This game will be tight in my opinion, I think Van Gerwen wins it, only just, with it going right down to a last leg decider.
Premier League Night 16 Preview – Who will win ?
From the top half of the draw, I see Littler making it through to the final. Only because I think Aspinall will be mentally drained from the first game and in the back of his head will know he’s done his job and is already through. Looking down to the bottom half of the draw, if I had to pick either Van Gerwen or Humphries, I’m going to swing the way of Van Gerwen and say the Dutchmen gets his revenge on Luke from last week and goes through to the final. Then I think we will see a cracking final, with the pair of them trying to put on a show for the crowd as there is nothing to play for. I think that the winner in Sheffield will be the “Green Machine” Michael Van Gerwen.
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