Phil Taylor takes on Gary Anderson in the Premier League
All 10 players in action for the first time
Thursday 18 February 2016 23:49, UK
Phil Taylor meets Gary Anderson as the Premier League Darts roadshow rolls into Dublin on Thursday, while Michael van Gerwen takes on Adrian Lewis.
Night Three promises to be another cracker with an atmosphere to match as the Dublin's darting masses come out to the 3Arena to party with the stars - and the pressure is already piling on three players, who are yet to record a victory.
World champion Anderson, fellow Scot Robert Thornton and debutant Michael Smith are all yet to get off the mark for differing reasons while Lewis and Peter Wright are the only players with a 100% record, and are joined at the top of the table on four points by James Wade.
Thornton is fit after missing Newcastle with a chest infection and the good news is that all 11 players are fit and ready to go for the first full-cast of the season after Anderson missed the opening week through illness.
Peter Wright v James Wade
A top of the table tungsten tussle to open proceedings, and it promises to be a cracker with both players having picked up four points so far.
'Snakebite' has a 100% record having beaten Michael Smith on the opening night and fighting back in a superb encounter to see off Raymond van Barneveld in a 7-5 thriller in Newcastle.
Wade, on the other hand, will be looking for a return to winning ways after a 7-1 defeat to Phil Taylor in the second of his two matches in Newcastle.
Having beaten Michael Smith in the first match, the 'Machine' ran into a 'Power' averaging 111 to suffer his first defeat of the league campaign, but a win would put the man from Aldershot top of the pile.
Dave Chisnall v Michael Smith
Smith is still gunning for his first Premier league victory having lost all three games he has played so far - however, there were some encouraging signs in Newcastle for the 'Bully Boy'.
Having lost to Peter Wright and Adrian Lewis on Week One, winning just three legs along the way, Smith managed four legs as he was beaten by James Wade and will be determined to underline the potential that saw him into the World Championship quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace.
'Chizzy' was just edged out by Lewis last week, losing 7-4 in a high quality encounter that had both players nudging a 100 average, but after a 7-0 demolition of Robert Thornton on the opening night, the signs are there that Chisnall could emulate his run to the semi-finals of last year's event.
Live Premier League Darts
Phil Taylor v Gary Anderson
Two darting behemoths collide on the Emerald Isle and while nobody would have expected them both to be languishing in the bottom half of the table, there are plenty of reasons to expect fireworks on the oche.
'The Power' rolled back the years in Newcastle to blow James Wade away with an average of 111.20 and a 7-1 victory to bounce back after his opening night defeat at the hands of Van Barneveld.
Anderson will be seeking an opening Premier League victory having been beaten by Van Gerwen in Newcastle following illness which had kept him out of the opening night and the subsequent first round of UK Open qualifiers.
'The Flying Scotsman' was beaten in the second round at last weekend's Dutch Masters but a repeat of the memorable 2015 World Championship final, which saw Anderson claim his first PDC world crown, should be more than enough to get the competitive juices flowing.
Michael van Gerwen v Adrian Lewis
A meeting of the two names who will perhaps battle it out for world titles for years to come - yet they only have one Premier League crown between them and both will be determined to right that statistic.
MVG has been a finalist for each of the last three years, winning the event in 2013, and he will look to build on his first victory of this season's event that saw him average more than 111 in victory over Anderson, bouncing back in style to his Leeds defeat at the hands of James Wade.
Lewis, for all his talent and rich potential, has reached just one Premier League final (losing to Gary Anderson in 2011) but he has looked in terrific form so far this season seeing off Michael Smith and Dave Chisnall to sit top of the table with maximum points.
Robert Thornton v Raymond van Barneveld
Dublin favourite 'Barney' will bring the curtain down on events in Dublin when he goes up against 'The Thorn' who is seeking his first victory and first leg of the 2016 Premier League.
Barney, beaten by in-form Peter Wright last week, is celebrating ten years with the PDC having made his debut on February 16, 2006 in the opening night of the Premier League, and he will be hoping for a return to the opening night's form that saw him beat Taylor 7-2 in Leeds.
Thornton is over the chest infection that saw him miss events at the Metro Radio Arena but after a 7-0 opening night hammering by Dave Chisnall he will be determined to get on the board for the season.
