MVG takes on Phil Taylor in the match of the night
Thursday 16 March 2017 22:59, UK
How will Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld and Jelle Klassen get on in Rotterdam? Wayne Mardle looks into his crystal ball...
The reigning Premier League champion and world No 1 Van Gerwen takes on legend Phil Taylor, while Van Barneveld faces Gary Anderson and Klassen takes on James Wade.
Kim Huybrechts meets Adrian Lewis and table-topper Peter Wright faces Dave Chisnall.
Wayne Mardle says Premier League darts will hit new heights in Rotterdam
So who does Mardle think will be the winners and losers on what should be a very special night of action in the Netherlands?
I don't think James Wade is holding the dart properly and I don't think he's playing well while Jelle Klassen is playing well, but can't get a result. He keeps faltering from crunch positions.
Jelle is rushing his darts, so maybe he's thinking about it a bit too much, but his bottle isn't going.
James Wade has been getting out of trouble with decent finishes. Now his double 10s are proving a little illusive.
Prediction: I'm selecting a Jelle Klaasen win for one reason. When he's playing well, he's doing damage. I actually think he's throwing better than James Wade. (Sky Bet Odds: Klaasen to win 7-5 is 6/1)
I'm not saying that Peter Wright is having a UK Open hangover, but he hasn't played consistently well in the Premier League yet. Last week he played mediocre against James Wade and got away with it.
Some of the performances in the Premier League - the 119 average, and the 109, yes they've been mesmerising but in between those averages, there have been some real poor performances. It's hard to say he's going to play well.
Now Chizzy has got a couple of wins under his belt he might relax that little bit more.
Prediction: I think this will be really close, I really do. I'm finding it hard to think that Wright is going to play as well as he has been. If there is a winner it will probably be Peter, but I'm going for a draw. (Sky Bet Odds: Draw 4/1)
13,000 people clad in Orange can't help Barney with this one. He will lose to Gary Anderson - I feel sure of that.
I'm a Barney fan and have been for decades. I love the way he plays and when he plays well it looks so simple, but when Gary Anderson is firing in that 60 first dart he looks unplayable. When he hits his doubles, he is unbeatable and only Michael van Gerwen can cope with him.
Prediction: Gary will win this 7-4. (Sky Bet Odds: A 7-4 result is 6/1)
I had a chat with Kim about four, five weeks ago. I do a school of darts and he just wanted to come over and have a freshener. He wanted to know the mistakes he is making.
I basically said 'Kim, the only error you make in your action is sometimes a lack of rhythm'. He's sorted that out, but just like Jelle Klaasen, he can't hit a big shot at the right time. He's just starting to panic.
If he panics in this game, he'll get beat because Adrian Lewis is starting to pay decent again.
Prediction: I think this will go to the last leg. I just think if there's a player better than the other under pressure then it's probably Adrian Lewis. (Sky Bet Odds: Lewis to win 7-5 is 4/1)
Michael is head and shoulders above Phil. Taylor's performances haven't been great and I wouldn't say that he's mentally given up, but I would say he's not 100 per cent concentrated anymore.
Van Gerwen has a bad back, which is supposedly going to hinder him, like it was supposed to last week and he still averaged 107.
I think this will be a task too far for Taylor.
Prediction: Michael is too good for Phil nowadays and with all the crowd behind him, that will bother Taylor. I can see Van Gerwen running riot. (Sky Bet Odds: Van Gerwen to win 7-2 is 11/2)
Watch Premier League Darts this coming Thursday, from Rotterdam Ahoy, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm.
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