...who will be victorious in 2016?
Wednesday 3 February 2016 16:38, UK
![Premier League darts group picture [by Lawrence Lustig]](https://e0.365dm.com/16/02/768x432/darts-premier-league-group_3410022.jpg?20160203135234)
With the brand new Premier League very nearly upon us, the oracle Wayne Mardle looks into his crystal ball and takes us through his predictions for the season.
The superstars come out to play when the First Direct Arena in Leeds hosts the opening night of tungsten action this Thursday night, live on Sky Sports.
Defending champion Gary Anderson, world No 1 Michael van Gerwen and six-time winner Phil Taylor head a star-studded 10-man field which heads to 16 venues with over 100,000 fans expected to turn out.
It's the biggest tournament ever and the four-time World Championship semi-finalist and former Premier League star Mardle takes us through his overall predictions for the season.
Dave 'Chizzy' Chisnall will not be far off from repeating his performance last season where he so nearly won the league. I think now he's got this game where he used to be so hit and miss. If he was slightly off he would lose. He's not like that anymore because he's found this consistent way of playing - he doesn't snatch like he used to - he just seems in control of himself and his darts and I think he will be the outsider to make the play-offs again.
When [Raymond] Van Barneveld won it in 2014, he made the semi-final by just scrapping in and he hadn't beaten Phil [Taylor] in 21 attempts on TV. He beat Phil and then he beat Michael [Van Gerwen] in the final so any outcome is possible of that there is no doubt. (Chisnall 9/4 to make the play-offs at Sky Bet)
For me it's going to be Robert Thornton and Michael Smith. They are the two favourites to be eliminated or not make the cut, relegated, whatever you want to call it.
Thornton is not playing well - he's played pretty poorly and at the Worlds he didn't look great. There's a lot of things that are happening when Robert plays.
He was the highest seed that went out at the Worlds and was 8-0 up at the Masters before going on to lose against Dave Chisnall - these things do not happen when you're not playing well. He won't be high on confidence.
As for Michael Smith, the Premier League is difficult - I know that and all the players that play in it will tell you about that.
A good start for him is paramount. I think he has to win the first two games. You don't have to win every week, but I just think he has to win in one of the first two weeks otherwise he could be on a bit of a downer with confidence. He doesn't seem the type to pick himself up to me.
I don't think Phil Taylor will dominate. If he wins it, I think it will be the hard way. Nothing comes easy to Phil at the moment. Even when he's making or what seems to be making light work of an opponent he will miss and give them an opportunity, which is something he never used to do.
It's just the mindset because when you're used to beating someone [like Phil Taylor] and then it turns the other way, it's difficult. The mind plays tricks on you and you think you're not going to win even though you think you've got that chance, that opportunity. (Taylor 5/4 not to reach the play-offs with Sky Bet)
I think Michael Van Gerwen and Gary Anderson will end up first and second in the Premier League table and I think Michael will finish top. He's won it the last three years so I can't see no reason why he won't win it again - he is the best player on the planet - and he proves that consistently, even when he loses. At the World Championship he averaged 105 - the man's an absolute machine at the moment.
He's got that Phil Taylor mindset where he wants to win, win, win. Michael has never actually said that he is looking for perfection. As long as he's happy with his performance, he's OK. Whereas Phil's always been '118 average, I can do better'. Michael is '118 average, that was brilliant - yeah, I want to do that again'.
No great shakes - Michael Van Gerwen. Like I said, come the play-off, any one of the four who are in it can most certainly win the trophy. Van Gerwen, Anderson and Taylor have won it before. Barney has won it before. I think whoever qualifies will fancy it, I really do.
Michael Van Gerwen, from day-to-day, he is just becoming an absolute certainty. He is winning games - he gets in early and rips them to shreds and makes the players doubt themselves.
When he is behind he can fight back and he gets away with it like Phil Taylor used to. People panic when they have a chance to beat him and I just think he will take all the stopping. He will win the league phase and I think he will win it overall.
You can watch the opening night live on Sky Sports 1 from 7pm on Thursday, we will be building up to the coverage this week and our live blog here at www.skysports.com/darts and on the Sky Sports app will keep you up to date with all the action.
