Watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports Action or Mix from 7pm on Thursday
Thursday 14 March 2019 22:40, UK
Premier League Darts is back on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Mix, featuring the clash between Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen. Wayne Mardle looks into his crystal ball...
Former world champion Rob Cross is up against Raymond van Barneveld, who is still without a win in the tournament this season. An in-form James Wade goes up against Mensur Suljovic, while Peter Wright and Daryl Gurney meet in the last game of the night.
UK Open champion Nathan Aspinall is this week's Contender and the Stockport thrower will want to prove his worth on the big stage against last year's runner-up Michael Smith.
Wayne runs the rule over five titanic tungsten contests, live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Mix from 7pm.
I think Aspinall could be under pressure to perform because he's coming into this game with a lot of expectation on his shoulders. A lot of 'let's see if he can do it again, let's see if he can rid of Smith and really lay down a marker for next year's Premier League'. Let's be honest he's probably got a foot and a half in it and if he was to win the argument would be he's already won the UK Open and he can hold his own in the Premier League.
I know it's a re-run of the World Championship semi-final but I don't see this so being closely fought.
Smith is a better player than Aspinall, of that there is absolutely no doubt. I know it's a re-run of the World Championship semi-final but I don't see this so being closely fought. I think Smith will assert his dominance early on and show his class.
Wayne's score prediction: Smith to win 7-4
Wade last week was absolutely stunning when he whitewashed Daryl Gurney. He averaged 109 and he was relentless from start to finish. Wade wins a lot of games by taking out the single to double combos and last week wasn't any different. If he does that again then he wins.
I've been surprised by Mensur's tail off in form recently. Forget the averages and everything else he is doing, he's looking quite ragged and I didn't see that coming.
Wayne's score prediction: Wade to win 7-4
It's horrible to see Barney kind of act the way he is on stage. He's not necessarily beaten, he looks like he lacks belief to me. His throw is not confident anymore, he's not got a swagger. I would hate to see him finish this year's Premier League without a win because it would be a horrible way to go out.
I would hate to see him finish this year's Premier League without a win because it would be a horrible way to go out.
I don't think he will beat Rob Cross because Rob is playing consistently too well. Apart from when he got annihilated by Michael van Gerwen he has been a averaging over 100 every week. If he averages anywhere near a ton then he beats Barney comfortably.
Wayne's score prediction: Cross to win 7-4
This should be a good game if you think about it because these two are playing the best darts in the world of any two players. Van Gerwen is going through a bit of a blip and he can't win, apparently. The way John Henderson played against him was just fantastic.
Price was as deadly as ever against Mensur Suljovic, but I see Van Gerwen winning because I say that every week.
This will be a bit of an acid test for Price to see how good his form really is. I think he's playing the darts of his life, but when you play as well as you can, you want to produce it against the world's best and Van Gerwen is that.
Wayne's score prediction: Van Gerwen to win 7-5
I'm still not sure where Peter's game is. I've been proven wrong by him so many times and that's in a way when I think he's going to win but he doesn't. That's in a way when I think he's struggling and I think he's going to get beat and he doesn't. I don't think he knows where his game is right now and I do think he and Daryl Gurney are struggling a bit.
Gurney was playing so well at the start of the Premier League but he has won one out of the last 15 legs, which is terrible for his confidence and for legs difference in the table. I'm sitting on the fence here!
Wayne's score prediction: 6-6 Draw
Wayne Mardle was speaking to Sky Sports' Raz Mirza. The Premier League heads to the Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham on Thursday, March 14. 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
