"I know I'm not going to win every single game in the Premier League. It is almost impossible but after losing I like to bounce back with a good win"
Friday 16 February 2018 08:17, UK
Michael van Gerwen hopes to get his Premier League campaign back to winning ways when he meets Gary Anderson as the roadshow heads to Newcastle.
The defending champion, opened his campaign with a commanding 7-2 success against world champion Rob Cross in Dublin only to suffer a 7-5 defeat to Peter Wright in Cardiff last week.
Van Gerwen will meet Scotland's two-time world champion in the headline match at the Metro Radio Arena on Thursday in what will be a repeat of the 2015 Premier League final in which Anderson prevailed, and the 28-year-old is confident both men will produce a great spectacle.
"I know I'm not going to win every single game in the Premier League," said Van Gerwen.
"It is almost impossible but after losing I like to bounce back with a good win.
"That won't be easy against Gary but it is what I will try to do. We always have good matches and it is one of the games that the fans want to see.
"It will be fast and a very good standard and I'm really looking forward to a great match. Even though it is early days it is very important to me to win because the only position I want to be is top of the league."
The three-time world champion and world No 1 was left to rue nine missed doubles against 'Snakebite' in a match he describes as one "I should have won".
"Last week was a disappointing result against Peter," added Van Gerwen. "I feel it was a game I should have won.
"I had enough chances but I missed too many doubles and he hit the right things at the right times so all credit is to him."
Wright, who drew 6-6 against Gerwyn Price in the opening week of the Premier League campaign, expects a difficult match when he meets Cross, who is beginning to rediscover some form including a victory over the Scotsman in the UK Open Qualifiers last weekend.
The night's other matches will see Simon Whitlock bid to continue his unbeaten start against former champion Raymond van Barneveld while Michael Smith will also hope to extend his flawless start against winless Mensur Suljovic.
The evening's second match will see World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney and Price battle for a first victory this season.
The 2018 Premier League heads to the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle this Thursday with coverage underway from 7pm on Sky Sports Action. Thirteen weeks of tungsten action will continue through to the season's conclusion with the Play-Offs on May 17 at The O2 in London.
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