Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor will win on Premier League Darts night six, Wayne Mardle says
Thursday 10 March 2016 20:17, UK
Premier League Darts swings by Nottingham this week but does Wayne Mardle expect any underdogs to steal from the darting rich to to give to the poor?
Michael van Gerwen is in red-hot form and looks difficult to stop, while Phil Taylor is finding his rhythm and Gary Anderson plays his protege Michael Smith in their first major match-up. Tune in on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 1 at 7pm.
Here's what Sky Sports expert Mardle expects to happen...
Gary Anderson v Michael Smith
Smith will play well in this game. After winning last week he will feel like he's a part of the Premier League, he will feel better about himself.
What's happened to Gary? Last week he was playing to a standard where I thought, 'It's time to get your darts out, Wayne'.
Anderson had no rhythm, he was releasing them wrong, you could see his hand was following through. Darts is about feel, you need a touch, and he doesn't have it at the moment.
Prediction: I can't back Anderson with any confidence so I'm going for a draw in a very tight game.
Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis
Lewis is doing my head in! I was chatting with him and he told me he's throwing with passion, he's playing great, he's in a lovely rhythm. Last week, he looked like he had nothing.
Lewis loses his zest and his va-va-voom so quickly. I think this is an important game for Lewis because if he loses again, he could be in the same situation as last year. He won't be eliminated, he will make the cut, but he could be cut adrift from those who are making a run for the play-offs.
This is Lewis' 11th Premier League season and he's only made the play-offs twice, that's shocking for someone so talented.
Prediction: I'm going to go with Wright, just. It's more likely to be a draw than a Lewis win.
Raymond van Barneveld v James Wade
This is just so tough to call. I was looking at the odds but they didn't tell me anything. Barney, you don't know what you're going to get. Wade has scored well but his doubles have let him down.
Barney, against Smith last week, was really poor and he can panic or worry. Does anyone really want to play James for a living?
Prediction: I'm going to go with Wade. He's just a little bit more reliable.
Robert Thornton v Phil Taylor
Thornton played poorly over the weekend at the UK Open and Phil has looked excellent. This could be 7-1 or 7-2.
Phil shows no remorse, he just wants to annihilate you. Remember that legs count, not just results. Thornton doesn't seem to be over his chest infection - he's well enough to stand up there, but I'm not sure he's well enough to compete.
Prediction: I'd be surprised if Robert gets to four legs.
Dave Chisnall v Michael van Gerwen
I keep saying it to you, I can't choose anyone else to win except Van Gerwen. I just can't do it.
Chizzy will be looking to win it but he'll want to go in there, relax, and play. That's not easy to do when you're playing the world's best player. You don't need to beat Van Gerwen at this stage of the competition but you don't want to lose heavily.
In my opinion, if Chisnall can get a draw that would be great. Michael is beatable but the planets have to align. Michael is full of it, when he wants to play well he does just that.
Prediction: I don't see Michael getting beaten. Just like Peter Wright last week, Chisnall will play well but it won't be good enough.
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