Premier League darts: Wayne Mardle says Raymond van Barneveld cannot make Finals Night

Wayne Mardle believes defeat to James Wade on Thursday means Raymond van Barneveld's hopes of a Premier League top four finish are over.

The big Dutchman has again been inconsistent through the Premier League and slipped to a 7-4 defeat against the Machine in Sheffield on the first night of the second phase of the competition.

After a draw with Michael van Gerwen last week on Judgement Night, Barney needed a win to keep alive hopes of joining the battle to make Finals Night at the O2 in May.

However, in a nip and tuck contest that saw nine successive holds of throw to start proceedings, Wade broke in the tenth leg for a crucial advantage which he consolidated to win the match and take the points - coupled with other results, van Barneveld is now five points adrift of Adrian Lewis in fourth spot.

And while seven wins and a draw in the second half of the 2015 Premier League saw him rise from the brink of elimination to the play-offs, Sky Sports expert Mardle feels with the standard of this year's event a repeat for Barney is unlikely.

"At the start John [Part] said there are eight players playing but only six realistically have a chance of the play-offs," Mardle told Sky Sports.

"But now Barney and Robert Thornton....mathematically they can still do it I think but they have to rely on so many other results that it is not going to happen

"The others have it all to fight for."

Barney plays twice in Belfast next week against Robert Thornton and top of the table Phil Taylor, so all is not lost but maximum points will be required, although Part feels the ship has sailed.

"Any chances he had are right out the window," Part added.

After defeat to Taylor in the final match of the night Wade is in fifth, locked on 13 points with Lewis and Gary Anderson who occupy the final play-off places - but Part believes the Machine's performances suggest the 2009 Premier League champion has what it takes to go all the way again.

"He is one of the hardest guys to analyse week-to-week for what to expect but so many nights he just does a very professional job," Part told Sky Sports.

"He is going about his business while everyone is talking about everyone else. He is doing a really good job of playing really good professional darts."

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