Power hails best-ever 'Pool

Phil Taylor said the record-breaking Premier League crowd in Liverpool created the 'best ever' atmosphere he had played in, as he destroyed big rival Raymond van Barneveld.

Almost 8,000 darts fans packed out the new Liverpool Echo Arena on the city's famous waterfront, and a resurgent Taylor enjoyed the experience so much, he proclaimed after his match: 'Let's bring the World Championships here'.

'The Power' had started the Premier League mired in a rare slump in form that led many to question whether he could keep up with the young talent coming through on the scene.

However, Taylor's troublesome new darts have now been transformed into a red-hot set of tungsten - a point gloriously illustrated with his 8-2 demolition job on Barney in front of the largest crowd in the modern darts era.

"The atmosphere was, I think, the best I've ever played in, honestly, and that's including all my 13 World Championships," said a bouncing Taylor after his latest victory.

"I can't believe how good it was, how there was no trouble there were no idiots, it was brilliant.

"How Steven Gerrard scores a penalty in front of that lot I'll never know.

"We've played in front of loads and loads and loads, we've played all over the country now and this is without a shadow of a doubt the best."

Penalty nerves

Both players endured a nervy wobble early on the match, with a flurry of doubles missing the target under the welter burden of the expectant crowd sending 'ooos' and 'aaahhs' ringing around the arena floor.

Taylor eventually managed to control the understandable jitters to nail a double two in what proved to be a crucial leg - a shot the greatest player ever to set foot on the oche likened to one of the city's current sporting greats' Champions League exploits just two days earlier.

"It (atmosphere) was second to none, when Liverpool were two each and Steven Gerrard had a penalty, now he knows how I felt up there tonight.

"That's how it felt to me tonight, because that was unbelievable, that double two felt like taking a penalty against Arsenal, it was fantastic."

Northern soul

Stoke thrower Taylor was so impressed on darts' first visit to the 2008 European Capital of Culture that he called for the sport's blue riband event to be held in the city one day.

"I wish they'd hold more tournaments up here," he added.

"I think it's fantastic, I think the venue's brilliant, probably one of the best venues I've ever played in, well, the best venue I've ever played in.

"There's a great town, everything's fantastic here, we should play the World Championship here, definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, never mind London, lets bring it up here, bring it up to the north."

On the subject of his return to form, Taylor says the previous talk of his demise amongst the players spurred him on - and he warned he is still going to get better and really shut the critics up.

"I heard some of the players saying they hope to get Taylor because he's playing crap, and I, not cried, but had a lump in my throat and thought 'I don't believe this', because I've never heard that in all my years.

"It hurt me because it was a lack of respect, and I thought 'No you're wrong here'.

"They've shut up now.

"The new darts are doing fine, they can all talk but talk's cheap as they say.

"I think I'm about 70 per cent now and I'm going to get better."