Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith headline as Premier League Darts fixtures revealed

Michael Smith faces Michael van Gerwen on the opening night of the Premier League

Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith will face each other in Newcastle on the opening night of the Premier League - a repeat of last year's final and the World Championship final.

Fresh from his third world title, where be beat Bully Boy 7-3 in the Ally Pally finale, MVG will kick off his quest to continue his Premier League dominance against the man he also beat in May last year in the capital.

The world No 1 has reached the final in all six years he has played in the competition, topping the regular season standings on all six occasions - and more importantly going on to win the title four times, including each of the last three years.

In 2018 he chalked up a barely believable 112.37 average to beat Smith in The Docklands, whose memorable second year in the competition ended with a very respectable runners-up finish.

Raymond van Barneveld celebrates a victory at the 2010 World Darts Championship

This year's action will kick off and it will be a clash for the former champions that gets the action underway with the returning James Wade up against surprise pick Raymond van Barneveld on Tyneside.

The Machine, a three-time finalist and champion in 2009, is back after a year off while 2014 champ Barney is beginning his final year as a professional having announced he will retire after the 2019/20 World Championship.

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Glasgow's SSE Hydro get to welcome Gary Anderson on Night Two when The Flying Scotsman takes on Daryl Gurney and as is fast becoming tradition, Anderson will face Van Gerwen at a raucous BGHE Arena in Aberdeen, although this year it will be on Night Five.

The opening 10 rounds of action conclude with what promises to be a drama-filled two nights at Rotterdam's Ahoy when back-to-back nights finish with Judgement Night that will be headlined by Van Gerwen and Barney going head to head.

Barney pulled off a memorable victory over his younger countryman last year, and with the added drama of relegation on the night there will be more than pride at stake as the first stage reaches its conclusion.

After Night 10 in Rotterdam, the bottom two players will be relegated and the top eight will play out the remaining seven nights with the top four then moving on to Finals Night at The O2.

2019 Unibet Premier League - Fixtures

Night One - Thursday, February 7 - Utilita Arena, Newcastle

James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld

Gerwyn Price v Daryl Gurney

Gary Anderson v Mensur Suljovic

Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith

Peter Wright v Rob Cross

Night Two - Thursday, February 14 - SSE Hydro, Glasgow

Peter Wright v Michael Smith

Rob Cross v James Wade

Raymond van Barneveld v Gerwyn Price

Daryl Gurney v Gary Anderson

Mensur Suljovic v Michael van Gerwen

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PDC chairman Barry Hearn reveals the players who will be competing in the 2019 Premier League

Night Three - Thursday, February 21 - 3Arena, Dublin

Gerwyn Price v James Wade

Gary Anderson v Peter Wright

Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross

Michael Smith v Daryl Gurney

Mensur Suljovic v Raymond van Barneveld

Night Four - Thursday, February 28 - Westpoint Exeter

Gary Anderson v Gerwyn Price

Daryl Gurney v Rob Cross

Mensur Suljovic v Peter Wright

Michael van Gerwen v James Wade

Michael Smith v Raymond van Barneveld

Night Five - Thursday, March 7 - BHGE Arena, Aberdeen

Michael Smith v Rob Cross

Daryl Gurney v James Wade

Mensur Suljovic v Gerwyn Price

Raymond van Barneveld v Peter Wright

Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson

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Night Six - Thursday, March 14 - Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham

Gary Anderson v Michael Smith

James Wade v Mensur Suljovic

Rob Cross v Raymond van Barneveld

Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen

Peter Wright v Daryl Gurney

Night Seven - Thursday, March 21 - Mercedes-Benz Arena, Berlin

Gerwyn Price v Rob Cross

James Wade v Peter Wright

Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney

Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic

Gary Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld

Night Eight - Wednesday, March 27 - Rotterdam Ahoy

Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith

James Wade v Gary Anderson

Rob Cross v Mensur Suljovic

Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen

Raymond van Barneveld v Daryl Gurney

Judgement Night - Thursday, March 28 - Rotterdam Ahoy

Daryl Gurney v Mensur Suljovic

Peter Wright v Gerwyn Price

Rob Cross v Gary Anderson

Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen

James Wade v Michael Smith

Fixtures for Nights 10-16 will be confirmed following Judgement Night.

Night 10 - Thursday, April 4 - SSE Arena, Belfast

Night 11 - Thursday, April 11 - M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool

Night 12 - Thursday, April 18 - Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

Night 13 - Thursday, April 25 - Arena Birmingham

Night 14 - Thursday, May 2 - Manchester Arena

Night 15 - Thursday, May 9 - FlyDSA Arena, Sheffield

Night 16 - Thursday, May 16 - First Direct Arena, Leeds

Play-Offs - Thursday, May 23 - The O2, London

Darts returns to your Sky Sports screens with the Premier League - 17 nights of top tungsten action gets underway in Newcastle on Thursday, February 7 on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 7pm