Friday 10 May 2019 10:49, UK
Daryl Gurney meets Gerwyn Price in a pivotal encounter with play-off qualification and the race for the title in focus as Premier League Darts heads to Sheffield on Thursday, live on Sky Sports.
There are just two rounds of action to be completed, with the roadshow hitting Leeds next week, before the Play-Offs at The O2 in London on May 23.
Michael van Gerwen has won the league stage six years in a row but is at risk of missing out after his defeat to Daryl Gurney in Manchester last week, leaving Rob Cross in pole position.
With Peter Wright and Michael Smith mathematically ruled out of qualifying for London there are four players, realistically, vying for two spots to join Cross and Van Gerwen.
James Wade, unbeaten in his last four matches, leads the quartet in third place in the table followed by Mensur Suljovic with Gurney and Price aiming to move into the top four in the Steel City.
Wade secured a vital 8-4 victory over Price in Manchester to remain in a commanding position to reach the Play-Offs.
'The Machine' has heaped praise on Smith, who sits bottom of the standings on leg difference from Wright, describing him as the most talented player in the field.
'Bully Boy' was expected to impress on the Premier League stage after his run to the World Championship final but the 28-year-old has failed to deliver his best darts.
Wade will aim to complete the double over his countryman after a 7-4 victory in Rotterdam earlier in the campaign.
Cross returned to top spot with a demolition 8-1 victory, which included another ton-plus average, at the expense of Smith and thus assured his place at Judgement Night.
The 'Voltage' lost 7-5, one of only three defeats so far, to Suljovic when they last met at the Rotterdam Ahoy in March but the 2018 World Champion will be confident of winning to ensure he remains in front of Van Gerwen ahead of Leeds.
Suljovic sits fourth, one point clear of fifth-placed Gurney, but the Austrian faces a tall order to remain there for London with Van Gerwen next week's opponent.
Pressure match for both.
Gurney comes into the meeting on the back of his third televised victory against Van Gerwen, including a league double, to aid his quest for the top four.
Price will look to overcome the frustrations of his defeat to Wade, after which he refused to shake the hands of his opponent, in Manchester and replicate the darts which saw him earn a point against Cross in Birmingham.
The Welshman won 7-4 on the opening night of the season in Newcastle and has won eight of his previous 11 meetings with Gurney.
Wright did the Premier League double over Van Gerwen last year but there will not be a repeat of that feat for 'Snakebite' after he was beaten 7-1 by the Dutchman in Rotterdam.
The Scotsman's task against the three-time world champion is arguably made harder because Van Gerwen will be intent on keeping up the pressure on Cross at the top of the table.
The world No 1 should be in confident mood after he responded to his defeat to Gurney last week with victory at the Australian Darts Open after a last-leg thriller against Ian White.
With Cross set to face Wade next week, Van Gerwen will know he remains firmly in contention for a top-spot finish at the end of the regular campaign should he beat Wright and Suljovic over the closing two weeks.
The Premier League continues as we head to the FlyDSA Arena in Sheffield on Thursday, May 9. You can also stay up to date with all the action by following us @SkySportsDarts and get all the latest news, previews and interviews www.skysports.com/darts
