Watch Premier League Darts live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7pm
Thursday 2 May 2019 22:11, UK
Premier League Darts is back on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action, featuring the clash between Daryl Gurney and Michael van Gerwen. Wayne Mardle peers into his crystal ball...
Six players are battling it out for four places with three players tied on 15 points behind Rob Cross and league-leader Van Gerwen with three weeks to go until the Play-Offs. Who will make it to London?
Van Gerwen takes on sixth-placed Gurney, who sits just a point behind the chasing pack of three. Third-placed James Wade goes up against Gerwyn Price, who is in fourth spot. Peter Wright faces fifth-placed Mensur Suljovic, while Rob Cross tackles Michael Smith.
Wayne runs the rule over four titanic tungsten contests, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action from 7pm.
This is huge, it really is. There is one thing Wade has got on his side over the others chasing position three and four, which are Price, Mensur and Gurney, and that is the fact that he has got a better legs difference. That really is another point.
If Price can do a job on him then it opens it up for the others, but I think this is a really tough game to call. I think Wade's doubling is better and under pressure he is slightly better than Price. He is second on the doubling stats behind Van Gerwen.
What I like about Gerwyn Price this year is that he's been nowhere near his best, yet he's been competing week-in, week-out.
While it's a tough game to call, Wade for me is showing that bit more quality.
Wayne's score prediction: Wade to win 8-5
It's this time of the season where every leg matters. That legs difference Wade has got over the others could mean snatching a Play-Off spot - that's the difference. You really have to concentrate in every leg in this Premier League.
In 17 matches Daryl didn't beat Michael and now he's won the last two. Why can't he make it three on the trot? He did a number on him last time they met with a solid doubling performance and that's what it takes to beat Michael.
Van Gerwen has normally won the league with 23, 24 points and I think he gets to that tally again.
Gurney knows what he has to do but I just think this is maybe a game too far for him. Whilst he's played alright I think his doubling has been his worst trait this year, whereas before it's been a big positive. He's struggled on the outer-ring for some odd reason and if he struggles at all on the doubling then he won't get anything from Van Gerwen.
Van Gerwen has normally won the league with 23, 24 points and I think he gets to that tally again.
Wayne's score prediction: Van Gerwen to win 8-5
We're getting to that point in the league where every game just matters. We don't know what will happen before this match, but if Wade and Price draw and Mensur wins, then he would leapfrog the pair of them and put himself in a brilliant position.
I did say that Peter Wright loses his remaining Premier League fixtures and I kind of haven't changed my opinion on that. He doesn't seem to be able to play a single game at full throttle and I also think he's not playing very well, forget the darts.
Mensur has to see this as a massive opportunity.
Wayne's score prediction: Suljovic to win 8-6
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One of probably the most meaningless games of the night but still massively important for Rob Cross because if he does get beat by Smith then the others will be breathing down his neck for the remaining two weeks of the season. It could end in disaster for Cross but I don't think it will, I really don't.
Cross didn't play well but somehow grabbed a draw against Gerwyn Price last week in Birmingham. I say he didn't play well, he still mustered a 97 average, and I don't know how he did that because it looked poor to me, but that's what world-class players do.
Anywhere near a 99 average then I think Cross will beat Michael. Smith's doubling has been poor - it's the worst in the Premier League.
Wayne's score prediction: Cross to win 8-6
Wayne Mardle was speaking to Sky Sports' Raz Mirza. The Premier League continues as we head to the Manchester Arena on Thursday, May 2. 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
