Monday 16 January 2017 13:27, UK
World champion Michael van Gerwen will meet Gary Anderson in Newcastle in week one after the fixtures for the Betway Premier League were confirmed.
After their record-breaking meeting at Alexandra Palace earlier this month, where MVG claimed his second title and ended the Flying Scotsman's two-year reign as the champion, the pair will go at it again at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle on Thursday February 2.
The pair shared 42 180s in their World Championship final while both averaging in excess of 100 and in a Premier League opener over the shorter format world record averages could be in danger.
Following his spectacular 2016, that included a second Premier League title Van Gerwen will be a red-hot favourite again but the high-quality field will be desperate to put a stop to his winning run.
Last year's beaten finalist at the O2 was Phil Taylor and he will kick off his campaign against Dave Chisnall while there will be a repeat of another memorable World Championship showdown when Raymond van Barneveld meets Adrian Lewis - Barney emerging victorious from a third round classic at Ally Pally.
The other matches on opening night will see Kim Huybrechts making his return when he kicks of this year's tournament against James Wade in the first match, before Peter Wright meets another man making his return in Jelle Klaasen.
Monday's release for the opening nine weeks will see all 10 players play each other once with the bottom two in the table after Cardiff relegated from the next stage where the eight remaining players play each other once before with the top four after week 15 advancing to the play-offs at the O2.
Nottingham, Leeds, Brighton, Exeter, Glasgow, Rotterdam, Manchester and Cardiff are on the roadshow for the opening stage of the competition and the trip to the Netherlands in week seven is likely to be a memorable occasion.
Last year the Premier League made it's first trip to the Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam and with three Dutchmen in place this year, the atmosphere will go up another level.
Klaasen will kick off the night against Wade, while Barney will go up against Anderson before Van Gerwen goes head-to-head with Taylor.
